MULTAN: The prices of dry fruits gone up with the increase in cold weather as 25 to 30 percent rates high this year. Talking to APP here on Sunday, a shopkeeper named Kashif said that the prices of dry fruits were high as compared to last year.

He used to sell dry fruits worth Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 daily whereas his sale is barely Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 now. He said that many shopkeepers have left dry fruits business due to reduced sales.

According to the shopkeepers, the rates of pistachio Rs 3200 to 4000, cashew 3400 to 4400, pine nuts (chilghoza) 8000 to 12000, fig 2200 to 3000. Dry apricots 1000 to 1400, normal dry dates 550 to 800, solid walnuts 800 to 1400, walnuts 3000 to 3500, reedy 500 to 800, roasted chickpeas 800 to 1000, almonds 2600 to 3200, paper almonds 1600 to 2000 and groundnuts selling Rs 800 to 1000 per kg in the market.

A citizen named Anwar Shah said that among the long list of dry fruits, groundnuts and roasted gram which the common man could buy to some extent are now becoming out of reach.

Azhar Hayat said that the shopkeepers have arbitrarily increased the prices, each shopkeeper has set own prices in the same market. Everyone wants to eat dry fruits, but went out of the shops without purchasing due to high rates. The daily wage class didn’t have the power to buy dry fruits.

Citizens have demanded regular check and balance system on the prices of dry fruits so that profiteers could be discouraged and fruits be made available to the people at fair prices.