–Green peas sell for Rs 250 per kg, cauliflower, carrot cross 100 per kg mark
LAHORE: The prices of peas touched an all-time high of Rs 260 per kg in the city and shopkeepers avoided to bring them in the Sunday bazaars, a survey conducted by Pakistan Today revealed.
The prices of winter vegetables such as green peas, cauliflower, carrot, green chili and leafy vegetables have not dropped and are being sold at skyrocketing prices. Other seasonal vegetables have also become costlier in the city due to inadequate supply. Summer vegetables except for ladyfinger and bitter gourd have disappeared from the markets at the onset of winter.
Leafy vegetables like coriander, spinach and Kasuri methi were being sold at Rs 30-40 per kg in the retail market. Radish, an important item for salad, was not seen at all at the Sunday bazaar. However, it was present in abundance on the stalls outside the Sunday bazaar at the rate of Rs 30 to 40 per kg. The administration did not take any action against profiteers.
Retailer Muhammad Aslam said, “The prices of green peas have soared to an all-time high of Rs 260 per kg because they are being sold for 1,200 per 5 kg in the wholesale market. The price of green peas fixed in the Sunday bazaar was Rs 120. Therefore, no shopkeeper dared to bring them in the Sunday bazaars. Until a few days back, peas were selling between Rs 200 to 200 per kg.”
The average price of vegetables was Rs 50 per kg in Shadman Sunday bazaar. Usually during this period, these prices are down at about Rs 20-30 per kg.
Retailers blamed a sudden demand surge for the peas and other vegetables which contributed to the price hike. The prices of winter vegetables and popular summer vegetables are high. “We are facia ng shortage of some of the popular vegetables. The green pea has been followed by other winter vegetables like carrot, cauliflower, mungray and teenday which were selling for about Rs 100 per kg. In contrast to cauliflower, cabbage (phoolgobi) was selling for Rs 50 per kg.
Similarly, summer vegetables like ladyfinger and bitter gourd were selling for Rs 100 per kg, the shopkeepers said. The lady finger was also absent in the Sunday bazaars. However, it was present on carts just outside the Sunday bazaars.
Meanwhile, low-quality tomato continued to remain high at around Rs 80 per kg in the Sunday bazaars against Rs 100-120 per kg in the retail markets nearly a week back. Vegetable traders said that the prices of other commonly used vegetables were also high in comparison to their normal rates in the Sunday bazaars because of the high demand.
However, onion prices have fallen slightly, from Rs 30 per kg to Rs 25 now. Potato price too have started to soften, from Rs 25 per kg earlier to Rs 20 now, as the local production of the crop has started to arrive in the markets.
Market Committee Inspector Ishfaq Ahmed hoped that the prices of most vegetables will stabilise from next month as more supplies will reach the markets. He said that there is no shortage of vegetables in the market but the demand is too high and therefore prices are up.
