The price of tomato and onion in provincial capital of wholesale market has risen as most vegetable, along with other essential food basket during preceding week due to low supply and increasing demand of these food commodities in the province.
According to survey conducted by Business Recorder here in local market on Sunday, it was noticed that price of tomato is shot up the roof as five-kilogram tomato available at Rs 300 and Rs 350, which was selling at Rs 200 and Rs 220 during the last week. This is resulted in a sharp increase in retail prices too. In the retail price, tomato is available at Rs 50 and Rs 70, against the price of Rs 30 during the preceding week.
Victims of loadshedding, the Peshawarities are now facing price hike of vegetables. "The end of tomato crop in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and delay in fresh crop of onion are the reasons for mounting prices. Due to improper planning and no control over prices allow retailers to increase to their will resulting general public suffers.
Government should take some steps to control price hike and to provide relief to masses, say a consumer, buying ginger at local market in Peshawar.
The wholesalers said that the supply of tomatoes has been gradually declined from last week, and commodity being transported from Sindh province. They said the prices have gone up due to low supply and increasing demand of the commodity.
Dawa Jan, a local merchant said it was quite difficult to sell at low price as tomato is much costly for them. He expressed the fear that the prices of tomato and onion would further increase in the coming days, as month of fasting month of Ramazan also approaching, he added. There was not available local produce tomato in the market, therefore prices are sky-high, said another vendor.
In the retail market, according to survey, a dozen of tomato is being sold at Rs 60 and Rs 70. The consumers have perturbed about the growing price of the tomato, onion and other essential food commodities in the market.
Similarly, price of onion is also sky-high in both wholesale and retail market, as a five-kilogram onion is being sold at Rs 250, which was selling at Rs 170 and 200 during the preceding week. The vendors said the onion is most use of kitchen item, and the commodity arrived in market in very thin, against the demand of daily basis. Onion in retail market, is being sold at Rs 50 and 60 per dozen. Consumers complained that there was no check on prices of essential food commodities, due to which vendors being charged them with exorbitant rates. They urged the authorities to take stern notice of the increasing price of daily-use food basket in the market.
Likewise, the price of ginger has been increased from Rs 160 to Rs 200 per kg, while garlic is being sold at Rs 160 per kg. Price of Cucumber also soared up as a five-kilogram available at Rs 180, which was selling at Rs 120 during the preceding week.
Price of other vegetable also surged in the market, as five-kilogram peas available at Rs 500, ladyfinger available at Rs450, shimla mirch at Rs 400, and a five-kg arvi being sold at Rs 350, and karela at Rs 350. A five-kilogram turi being available at Rs 250, a five-kg potato at Rs 70 and Rs 80, a five-kg cauliflower at Rs 200, a five-kg cabbage at Rs 150, a five-kg tenda at Rs 250, a five-kg turnip at Rs 150.
According to survey, the price of pulses also remained stable in wholesale and retail markets during the preceding week. A 49-kilogram sac of good quality rice, being sold at Rs 4800/- to Rs5200/- while low quality per 49-Kg bag of rice available at Rs 4000/- in the wholesale market, without any significant change, during preceding week. Similarly, a 49 kg bag of Kabali Moonge is available at Rs 6800, Dal Channa at Rs 3500 and Rs 3600, Malika Masoor of weight 49-Kg bag is being sold at Rs 5800, big channa selling at Rs 4200, red bean at Rs 4300, Dal mash green at Rs 7000, red mauwa at Rs 7000 to Rs 8000, Dal mash yellow Rs 7400 to Rs 7200, Dotti dal at Rs 7300 to Rs 7600. A 49-kg bag of sugar is being available at Rs 2800, showing increase of Rs 300 per 49-kg sac.
Despite the decreasing rates in Punjab, the survey further noted that prices of various brands of ghee/cooking oil remained steady, as 16-kilogram tin available with range of Rs 1710 to Rs 2380, while prices of cooking oil also firm, as tin of 16-Kilogram available at Rs 2630, Rs 2300, Rs 2400 and Rs 2680.
In the survey it was notice that rates of eggs remained declined as a box containing 300 eggs, is being sold at Rs 1500, while in retail market egg is available at Rs 70 and Rs 80 per dozen. Likewise, a good weight live chicken is being sold with range of Rs 250, and Rs 270, while chicken meat is available at Rs 135 per kilogram. Cow meat is available at Rs 300, and beef available at Rs 600 per kilogram.
Vendors in provincial capital, also charging consumers with artificial rates of fresh milk, as available at Rs 60 Rs 80 and Rs 90 per kilogram, while yogurt is also being sold at Rs 80 and Rs 90 per kilogram, despite official fix rate of Rs 55 for fresh milk of one litre, and Rs 70 for one kilogram yogurt.
Prices of fruit, which is staple food also sky-high in the market, a dozen of banana is available at Rs 50 and 70, a one-kg apple at Rs 200 and 150, strawberry at Rs 140 and Rs 150, a five-kg melon available at Rs 180 and Rs 200.