With no check by the provincial authorities and local administration, the price hike and stocking of vegetables, fruits and other food items had started in the wholesale and retail markets of the provincial capitals, a report said on Sunday. According to this survey, prices of almost all the items had gone up in the market including basin, gram, pulses, fruits and vegetables.
Vegetable traders said that false shortage of tomato was created in the whole sale markets to raise its price. Fruit stocks had also piled up in the cold storages and except for mango, other types of fruits were in short supply in all the cities.
For example, after fake shortage of tomato its price had mounted by Rs 10 per kg in the wholesale market where it was being sold at Rs 30 per kg; whereas its price was Rs 35 per kg in retail in Karachi. Prices of small and big green chilies had also mounted by Rs 5 per kilogram in the wholesale market. Currently, small green chilies were sold at Rs 20 per kg and big green chilies at Rs 30 per kg in the wholesale market.
At retail level, small and big green chilies were being sold at Rs 25 and Rs 40 per kg, respectively. The price of lemon had also jumped up to Rs 80 per kilogram.