Food scarcity imminent in Karachi

The prices of almost all food items like vegetables and fruits in Karachi have jumped to over 100 per cent during the last one month after the devastative rains in Sindh, still the concerned authorities are nowhere in controlling the sky-rocketing price of these essential items.
The supply of vegetables and fruits have been restored from upcountry after a weeks long suspension, still the prices are continuously going up in the city’s largest vegetable market without any check and control system. The government dealing with other political issues at various levels, has left the crisis stricken masses at the mercy of these profiteers who are now charging them with the enhanced prices ranging from Rs20 to Rs100 per kilogram of vegetables and fruits at retailer outlets. The prices of vegetables and fruits which are highly consumed in the over 18 million populated metropolitan city, daily reach to a new record level after the climatic change in interior Sindh which devastated the crops of almost all the daily use items at large scale.
However, under the present situation of complete absence of price controlling mechanism at the city government’s level, the vegetables and fruits produced in the city’s outskirts like Malir, Landhi, Memon Goth etc are also being soled at hike prices. Earlier Tomato, which was being sold at Rs40 per kg, is now available in retail markets at the rate of Rs95 to Rs100 per kg with the increase of around Rs60 per kg.
Potato is available at Rs50 to Rs60 per kg at market places against the pervious price of Rs25 to Rs30 per kg with the increase of almost 100 per cent. Bottle gourd at Rs110 per kg, spinach at Rs100 per kg, bean Rs140 per kg and cucumber Rs125. The same difference in the prices of onion and other vegetables are being observed here at many shops of Gulistan-e-Johar which is comparatively nearer to the vegetable markets. The gradual increase in prices as the distance from the main vegetable market increases, exhibit the higher transportation cost in the city.
The price of fruits like apple, grapes, and others are also beyond the reach of the poverty stricken masses as grapes and good quality apples are available at over Rs150 per kg. Sources at City District Government Karachi confirmed that there is no operation going on against the profiteers and no check is there on the prices of kitchen items thus giving a free hand to retailers and wholesalers. Under the gross negligence on the part of concerned authorities the poverty hit people are now forced to bear additional burden over their pockets as they could not live without consuming these vegetables.
A women at fruit shop in Mosmiat areas of Gulistan-e- Johar said “Now we should not think of buying fruits as these have gone beyond our reach” adding that the buying power of lower and middle class citizens at least doesn’t allow them to buy these fruits.
However the, retailers, as earlier, continued presenting the excuses that as there is shortage of goods in the city’s vegetable market, they were forced to charge the raised prices as they pay the same to wholesalers.
Sources at the market told Profit that beside the damages to vegetable crops in Sindh the supply from other parts of the country like Punjab and Balochistan has not been restored properly to meet the city’s demands. Only 350 to 400 trucks reach at the wholesale market as compared to the normal supply of over 800 trucks daily. Further increase in the prices of these items is expected if supply issues will not be addressed on urgent basis.