With the arrival of holy month of Ramazan the prices of vegetables, fruits, dates, grains, flour, beverages, spices, and other special ramazan food items have increased substantially, according to survey conducted by Business Recorder here on Sunday.
People have complained that the district administration has failed to control profiteering and hoarding and seem helpless against the hoarders' mafia while the continuous price hike has added to their miseries with soaring rates of essential food items in the holy month, they added. Retailers and shopkeepers have been charging consumers with artificial rates in absence of any check by concerned authorities. With the start of holy month of Ramazan, the profiteers and hoarders had raised prices of all kind of daily use items by their own.
Though, the city district government had constituted a number of price control committees, under the administrators, to keep check on high prices and ensure official rates in local market. But the officials' were not seen on site to control the exorbitant prices of daily use items. Many outlets did not display official prices, clashes between consumers and vendors were also reported due to overpricing.
Being most used item of Ramazan, Price of one-kilogram gram flour (baisen) has been soared up to Rs.170 and Rs.180, which was selling at Rs.120 during previous week, it was revealed during visit to a local market by this scribe on Sunday. Dates, being special item of Ramazan, were available at Rs.300-400 per kilogram, while prices of beverages of various quality and brands registered sky-high, with the increase in their demand aimed hot and humid weather.
Fruit is staple food, which demand also increases in the holy month, but prices of fruits have gone up substantially in retail market. A dozen of banana is being sold at Rs.100 and Rs.120, which was selling at Rs.50 and Rs 60 in previous week; apple is available at Rs.200 and Rs.250 per kilogram, apricot at Rs.200 per kg, mango at Rs.200 and Rs.150 per kg, melon at Rs.50 per kilogram, water melon at Rs.70 per kg.
According to survey, it was noticed that the beef is available at Rs 350-400 against the official rate of Rs 220, chicken meat at Rs 150 per kg against fixed rate of Rs 115 per kg, wheat flour at Rs 55 against Rs 45 per kg. Vendors have been charging different rates at a same market as tomato is available at Rs 40 and Rs 50 per kg, with various quality and sign, onion at Rs 40-50 per kg. Cabbage is available at Rs 40 and Rs 50 per kg, Tinda at Rs 30-40 per kg, cucumber Rs 30-40 per kg, lemon being sold at Rs.240 and Rs.300 per kilogram.
Similarly, the pulses of all ranges also being sold at against the official rate at many outlets in main Hashtnagri, Ashraf road, Karimpura, Guru Mandi, nishatarbad, and Faqirabad markets. Similarly, the Fruit is diet food in chilly weather, but the commodities prices also registered upward trend with advent of holy month of Ramazan.
Residents of Peshawar have strongly protested against the district government for not taking steps against the price hike during the holy month of Ramazan. They accused that traders unions are joining hands for fleecing customers and the district administration is acting like a silent spectator.
"No official price lists are hanged on the walls of shop and nobody is ready to start the process of accountability of price hikers", said Mehr Elahi, a buyer. He urged the district authorities to take concrete steps to respond to the negligence of these committees.
A senior official of district administration, when contacted by this scribe told that they had deputed administrators to keep check, which were randomly visiting all markets and bazaars. He said several hoarders and profiteers have so far been arrested and charged with huge fine and many of them also been jailed. "We will strictly implement official price list, and those vendors who are charging exorbitantly, action would be taken against them," he assured. An official of district administration informed that the authorities had already constituted multiple price control committees and these committees are working with full zeal and zest.