MULTAN: With the advent of the winter season, the demand for dry fruits has increased in the city with a remarkable price hike as compared to the previous year.

With the change of weather in the city, the demand for dry fruits has started increasing and the prices have also gone up gradually. The shopkeepers of dry-fruit in different markets of the city have 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 800 which was 500 per kg last year, Grams at Rs 500 to 600/kg against Rs 350 to 400 last year, varieties of Almonds at Rs 1200 to 2200/kg which was Rs 600 to 1200 previous year, Pistachio with and without shell at Rs 3000 to 3200/kg respectively, varieties of Walnut at Rs 1000 to 2200/kg, dried-up dates at 300 to 400/kg, Pine nut (Chilgoza) at Rs 8000/kg, cashew at Rs 3200 to 3500 while apricots were being sold in open market at price of Rs 800 to 1000/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 Kashif told APP on Sunday that the dry fruit dealers use to store dry fruits, which resulted into shortage of the commodities in the market and also the price hike. He maintained that this was 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.