MULTAN: With the arrival of winter season, demand of dry fruits has increased in the city with a remarkable hike in prices as compared to last year. Due to change of weather in the city, the demand for dry fruits have started increasing and the prices have also gone up gradually.

The shopkeepers of dry-fruits in different markets of the city has significantly hiked the prices because there was no proper check and balance on rates and missing rate lists by the market committees.

The peanuts were being sold in the city market at Rs 400 to 600 which was 240 to 300 per kg last year, Grams at Rs 350/kg. varieties of Almonds at Rs 1200 to 2400/kg, Pistachio with and without shell at Rs 2400 and 3000/kg respectively, varieties of Walnut at Rs 1000 to 1800/kg, dried-up dates at Rs 300/kg to 400, Pine nut (Chilgoza at Rs 5000/kg, cashew at Rs 2400 to 3000 while dried apricots were being sold at price of Rs 1200 to 1800/kg.

The shopkeeper of dry-fruits have raised prices of dry fruits and charging exorbitant rates as there is no mechanism to control prices of such items by the district administration and market committees.

A dry fruit shopkeeper Muhammad Nawaz told this news agency that the dry fruit dealers use to store dry fruits, which resulted into shortage of the commodities in the market and price hike. He, however, maintained that this is only one reason of price hike.

The prices of dry fruits including Almond, pistachio, walnut, Pine nut (chilghoza), date, cashew nut (Kaju), apricot and peanut increased in winter season as these are mostly demanded items, he added.

Another shopkeeper Saleem Khan told that due to high prices of dry-fruits, sale of these items has been decreased up o 50 percent as compare to the previous year. He said that he used to purchase these items from open market with high prices and he was selling these items with a low margin. He said that the daily sale was Rs 10000 to 15000 last year which was now decreased to Rs 5000 to 6000 daily this season due to low public interest in purchase of dry-fruits.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021