LAHORE: With a short supply of summer vegetables in the wholesale market, the prices of the commodity increased sharply in the retail market and Sunday bazaars across the provincial capital.
All important summer vegetables, such as lady finger and bitter gourd, were in short supply in the Shadman Sunday bazaar and their prices were above Rs 100. Lady finger was sold at Rs 125 per kg while bitter gourd at Rs 110/kg. The quality of both the perishable products was not up to the mark. Kachnar was not available at all in the vegetable market.
On the other hand, the prices of most of the winter vegetables in the retail market and Sunday bazaars were observed to be under control. The rates of winter vegetables were at an all-time low on Sunday.
The price of tomato, which once touched Rs 150 per kg, has come down to as low as Rs 10 to 15 per kg in the wholesale, and just Rs 24-30 per kg in the retail market. The tomato price is the record lowest for the past one year.
Same is the case with onion. Onion was selling at Rs 15 to 18 per kg in the Shadman Sunday bazaar. The local traders said that a huge supply of tomato and onion had brought down the prices. In the last two months, the price of summer vegetables had come down because of the large supply in the recent days. Some vegetables touched a record low price in the retail market.
The prices of winter vegetables, including that of green peas, cauliflower, carrot, green chilli and leafy vegetables have dropped. They are being sold at a low price. It was seen that the other seasonal vegetables had become cheaper in the city due to the sufficient amount of supply.
During Sunday, green peas were sold at Rs 25 to 30 per kg in the retail market and at Rs18 per kg in the bazaar. Cluster beans were sold at Rs 30 to 35 per kg in the retail market and the Sunday bazaar.
The price of cauliflower was Rs15 to 20 per kg and green chillies reached Rs 73/kg. Leafy vegetables like coriander, spinach and fenugreek leaves were sold at Rs 15 to 20 per kg in the retail market. A bunch of methi and palak leaf was available for Rs 10 to Rs 15 in the weekend bazaars across Lahore.
The traders added that the truckloads of winter vegetables including cauliflower, cabbage, beans, radish, and spinach had arrived in the city and for that reason, their prices have reduced significantly in the Sunday bazaar.
The average price of vegetables was Rs 15 per kg at the Shadman Sunday Bazaar, compared to Rs 30 a fortnight ago. The traders said that winter vegetables including cauliflower, cabbage, beans, radish, and spinach were available in the wholesale markets, and the prices went down in the Sunday bazaar due to an ample supply.
Talking to PakistanToday, Market Committee Inspector Muhamad Riaz said the prices of summer vegetables would reduce in the coming weeks as the supply from Punjab would start pouring in the next few weeks with crops ready in abundance throughout the province. He said that the prices of onion and tomatoes would go down further in a fortnight as soon as the abundant supply reached.