Essential items price hike worries consumers

The consumers are facing the worst crisis of price hike of essential commodities that has struck during the holy month of Ramazan as large-scale profiteering continues by wholesale dealers and retailers.
The prices of fruits, vegetable, pulses, meat, beef, poultry and milk have shot up, which indicates complete failure of the government and the so-called price control committees of district administration to check the ever-increasing prices. It seems that the government and committees have little or no control over wholesale dealers, who are reaping huge profit.
The price of tomatoes, which was Rs 8 per kilo in the beginning of the holy month of Ramazan, has now surged to Rs 32 per kilo. Likewise, the price of potatoes has gone up to Rs 20 per kilo and prices of other vegetables, including spinach, have also recorded an increase.
The prices of fruits such as grapes recorded 100 percent increase and so was the case with quality apples, and even watermelon. The prices of pulses, including gram pulse, have recorded an increase of Rs 10 per kilo.
The rates of beef with bones was quoted at Rs 120 per kg, meat at Rs 210 while poultry meat at Rs 110. The officials of the Price Control Committee, which is supposed to control prices of essential commodities, were often found saying that the prices would not escalate further.
When contacted, the administrator market committee said: "The price structure is based on demand and supply position and as tomato crop remained under pest strains and also damaged by monsoon rains its production has recorded a shortfall." He said the new crop has been delayed and once the crop arrival picks up the price structure would become normal.
Since the new onion crop is picking up, the prices have started declining in the wholesale market.
The wholesalers when contacted, told Business Recorder that "every auction is being conducted in the presence of Market Committee members, who calculate the prices and it is the responsibility of members of the committee to maintain a watch on retailers."