Taking advantage of “Eidul Fitr”, the poultry dealers and butchers have squeezing customers by charging with high rates as prices of poultry products, fruits, meat and other essential items were registered a substantial increase with increasing demand of these commodities in local market on occasion of the major religious festival.
Usually, the prices of essential commodities were become costlier on the special occasion of this Muslim major religious festival, but this year, prices of almost all essential food baskets recorded a considerable increase, importantly poultry, fruits, meat and vegetable items.
In a visit to local market by this scribe on Sunday, it was noted that prices of almost all essential commodities, particularly poultry, meat and vegetable were registered 70 to 80 percent increase, wherein the poultry dealers and butchers have not displayed official price list, while they are charging artificial rates to customers.
According to market rates on Saturday, the chicken meat is being sold at Rs 220 per/kg against the official rate of Rs 144 per/kg. A good weight live chicken is available at Rs 320-300, which was selling at Rs 220-240 during preceding week. Similarly, the prices of cow and buffalo meat also registered unprecedented as being selling at Rs 300 per/kg against the official fixed rate of Rs 220 per/kg.
The poultry dealers and vendors have attributed that the prices was gone up due to low supply on the eve of Eid, due to which they had purchased on high rates chicken meat, then selling with marginal profit of Rs 20 to Rs 30 per chicken.
The prices of tomato and onion and other varieties of vegetable were registered record high with the beginning of the religious festival Eidul Fitr. Tomato is being available at Rs 100-120 per/kg, which was selling at Rs 70-80 per/kg in last week. Similarly, the onion is being sold at Rs 50-60 per/kg against the Rs 30 per kg a few days ago.
Similarly, the prices all varieties of fruits also shout up due increasing demand this commodity on the eve of Eidul Fitr. Banana is being available at Rs 100 per dozen, which was selling at Rs 60-70 per dozen in preceding week. Mangoes are being sold at Rs 50-70 per kg against the Rs 100-120, Apricot at Rs 100 against Rs 150 in last week. Peach is being sold at Rs 60/kg against Rs 80 per kg, Grapes Rs 150 per kg against Rs 180 per kg, while apricot is being sold at Rs 100-150 against the Rs 200/kg.
Tomato is available at Rs 100 per/kg against the Rs 70 per/kg in the last week, while prices of onion were also increased at Rs 50-60 per/kg from Rs 40 per/kg. Shimla Mirch is being sold at Rs 160 per/kg, which was selling at Rs 100-120 per/kg in the preceding week. Similarly, the cabbage is available at Rs 120 per/kg against the rates of Rs 80-100 per/kg in last week, Karela at Rs 40 per/kg against Rs 30 per/kg, turnip at Rs 30 per/kg, lady fingers at Rs 50 per kg, Arvi at Rs 50 per kg.
Also a slight increase of price of Cauliflower is registered as available at Rs 120 per/kg against the Rs 100 during the preceding week. Ginger is available at Rs 160 per/kg, garlic at Rs 120 per kg, green chilli at Rs 120 per/kg, bringjal at 30-40 per kg. Peas, which was available at Rs 120 per/kg in preceding week, now is selling at Rs 180 per/kg. Kado is being sold at Rs 40 per/kg, Turi at Rs 60-70 per/kg. Potato is the only vegetable which price was remained very low in the entire holy month of Ramazan being selling at Rs 20 per kg.
The skyrocketing prices are completely out of purchasing power of people, while the authorities were failed to contain prices of essential commodities on this special occasion of Eidul Fitr, said Nazar Elahi, a buyer. The unchecked prices have broken backbone of the lower and middle class people, he added.
The officials of city district government were not seen on the site despite constitution of special committee to keep check of overpricing and enforce official rates on eve of Eidul Fitr. “Is any authorities are to check high prices, as vendors have not even left the poor people on this special occasion, which earlier squeezed them in either holy month of Ramazan, said, Ghafoor Haider, a government employee, while purchasing a vegetable and other items in a local market. “I being a salaried class, have hardly managed to retain kitchen items and other monthly expense amid increasing prices of the essential commodities with each passing days, he added.