Floods have caused great losses to the agriculture sector and experts are of the view that Pakistan will have to import vegetables, pulses, spices from India, Iran and other neighbouring counties due to shortage of these commodities in the near future.
Talking to Business Recorder, Chairman Pakistan Consumer Traders Association (PCTA) and former Vice President of KCCI, Haroon Agar, former Vice President, FPCCI Zubair Tufail and former Senior Vice President KCCI, Abdullah Zaki said in order to increase the availability of the commodities Pakistan will have to import them from different countries.
The floods have led to the shortage of fresh vegetables and fruits in the country. Prices of vegetables surged in the market during the last week mainly due to devastation of the crops by floods in many areas of Sindh, KP, Punjab and Balochistan. The import is likely to help stabilise the prices.
Prices of vegetables have increased due to flooding in major vegetable producing areas of Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan provinces. The floods have led to the losses of around $500 million. Prices of spinach, tomato and bitter gourd surged by 200 to 300 percent. Wholesale rates of potato have increased to Rs 28 to Rs 30kg while retail price stands at Rs 30 to Rs 35kg.
Tomato Rs 80kg, onion Rs 50kg, green chilly Rs 20 per 100 gram. Spinach, which was available before Ramazan Rs 5kg is now being sold at Rs 40 to Rs 45kg. Haroon Agar said that import of vegetables, fruits, pulses, species etc from Indian and Iran will cost less as compared to other countries. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa produces red potatoes during July and August but this year floods have ruined crops.