Sale of fruits and vegetables has declined considerably as their increasing prices have made them out of reach of a common man. Retailers of fruits and vegetables claimed that majority of people who used to purchase vegetables in kilograms are now buying it in grams.
However, price of onion in Karachi has declined to Rs 70 per kg from Rs 90 per kg during Eidul Azha. The wholesales and retailers attributed the high prices of onion and other vegetables to short supply and high cost of transportation. It may be mentioned here that vegetables and fruits demand of Karachi is met through long distance supply from Interior Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab.
Onion price had increased ahead of Eidul Azha, as a month back the retailers were selling superior quality onion at Rs 30 per kg and inferior quality at Rs 20 per kg. Potato is main diet of general public and despite arrival of its new crop it is being sold at high price. Potato is available at Rs 40 to Rs 45 per kg in different markets of the city. Whereas prices of stored potato ranges from Rs 30 per kg to Rs 35 per kg. In September potato was available at Rs 20 to Rs 22 per kg. Similarly onion was available at Rs 20 per kg. Cabbage is being sold at Rs 60 per kg as compared to its old rates of Rs 40 to Rs 45 per kg while cauliflower is now available at Rs 30 to Rs 35 per kg compared to its previous price of Rs 25 to Rs 30 per kg.