Soaring vegetables and fruits prices in Peshawar have disgruntled citizens, who seem helpless as relevant authorities have stayed apathetic. Two weeks away from Ramadan, prices of various vegetables and fruits in different markets of the metropolitan city have started to shoot as shopkeepers are seemingly selling at prices of their own choice. “This is all that I could buy from Rs 500,” Afzal Gul said as he showed his shopping bag. Though price control mechanism has become a ridiculed word for the common man due its non-implementation, the recent rise in commodity prices seems to have hit a record high. Price of Lady Finger, which was being sold at Rs 30 per kilogramme a couple of days back, now stands at Rs 60. Likewise, price of beans have increased from Rs 90 to 120, tomatoes from Rs 15 to Rs 40, chicken from Rs 230 to Rs 278 per kilogramme and mutton from Rs 240 to Rs 270 per kiliogramme. “The poor cannot dream for good days as abashment is their only fate,” a man purchasing vegetables said. A rise in prices of fruits including banana, apple, grapes, melons, mangoes and lemons was also observed. Prices are feared to surge further in Ramzan as price magistrates and food inspectors appointed to control the exorbitant prices and undue profiteering are doing nothing to ensure relief for the common man.
