LAHORE – The increase in prices of petroleum products helped vegetable and fruit prices to skyrocket at Sunday Bazaars. Prices of nearly all commodities including onions, potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, peas, lemon, green chillies, apples, guava, bananas and strawberry increased by Rs 4 to 20 per kilogramme.
Vendors said that transporters have increased fares due to which vegetable and fruit prices have also increased. Vendors said that prices of vegetables could increase more, as transporters are asking for higher fares while production at farms has declined.
“I used to pay Rs 400 to 500 for transporting vegetables to Sunday Bazaar but this week I paid Rs 600. Similarly, the cost of transporting vegetables from farms to the main market has also increased,” vegetable vendor Mushtaq Ahmed said, adding that the truck owner said that the fare could increase more next week.
Fuel prices increased by 10 to 15 percent on April 1 and the increase in vegetable and fruit prices was expected, another vendor Rafiq Akhtar said. “Compared to the increase in petroleum prices, price of vegetables have not increased that much and it is expected there will be another increase,” he said adding that production of vegetables at farms has also decreased.
Customers said that although prices have increased but still the situation is under control. They said that the Punjab government should make sure that prices remained stable at present levels. “People can buy onions for Rs 20 to 25 per kilogramme but not more than that. Similarly, prices of other vegetables should also be kept at the present level,” customer Wamiq Sarwar said adding that the present prices are realistic.
“People cannot buy onions, tomatoes, potatoes etc for more than Rs 50 per kilogramme,” he added.
