Owing to increase in prices of vegetables and fruits in the federal capital amid flood emergency, the civil administration has established fair-price stalls across the city to facilitate the general public.
Fair price fruits/ vegetables stalls were established at E-11, G-13 Markaz, Bhara Kahu (Jhuggi Stop), Bani Gala (Near Street 786), Bari Imam (Bari Imam Chowk), Tarnol and Rawat to ensure provision of quality fruits/vegetables at prescribed government rates, spokesman chief commissioner office Noman Nazim told media on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, it has been observed that the prices of vegetables, particularly onions and tomatoes, have increased manifold in the federal capital.
Both the commodities were being sold at Rs280 and Rs220 per kg respectively. Whereas, in the Sunday Bazaars, average quality onions were available at Rs230 and tomatoes at Rs170 per kg.
The vendors fear that the prices will further increase in the coming days as the recent floods had damaged various crops in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Giligit-Baltistan.
An official in market committee said tomato price was increased due to shortage of the commodity as massive flooding flushed away its crop in various districts “The tomato available in the mandi is also imported from Afghanistan,” he said.
“If prices of vegetables are higher in the wholesale market, how a shopkeeper can sell them at lower price. Honestly, after selling tomatoes at Rs230 per kg, we are earning nothing,” said a vegetable seller at Cafe Irum market on condition of anonymity.
Subhan Khan, a buyer at I-8 Markaz, while purchasing some onions blamed the government’s negligence for shortage of commodities and price hike of essentials items in the market, claiming that not a single policy was formulated during past one decade to mitigate the loss caused by natural calamities. Khan urged the government to focus on this and devise a mechanism to control floods in future.
