Prices of fruit registered a manifold increase in the first week of holy month of Ramazan without any slight change as vendors and merchants are swindling faithful in the absence of official prices. In a survey conducted by Business Recorder revealed that prices of fruits witnessed a substantial 50 to 80 percent increase since the beginning of the holy fasting month.
Fruits are staple diet usually their demand increase in this important month, but the prices are increased suddenly and totally out of purchase of salaried and daily wage class. During the survey it was observed that the price of Grapes had increased from Rs 240 to 300/kg. Mangoes is being sold at Rs 120/kg against the Rs 80/kg. Apricot is being available at Rs 150, Rs 120 against the Rs 100/kg. Peach is being sold at Rs 80 against the Rs 60/kg, while Banana is available at Rs 120-150 per dozen against Rs 60 and Rs 80 per dozen. Muskmelon is being sold at Rs 80kg, watermelon is being available at Rs 80/piece. Dates were available at Rs 240 to Rs 300/kg.
According to consumers the prices of dates, melon, banana, watermelon, apple, and grape will keep going up by each passing day and vendors would keep fleecing them through out the holy month. They said that arbitrary hike in prices of essential commodities and fruits had totally unjust with them. The consumers said that no significant affect on prices of daily usage items despite gradually cut in fuel prices.
Fasting consumers are forced to settle for higher prices after a little bargaining because they didn’t have stamina for protracted argument. In the fruit, no vendors were seen carrying the official price list for fruits as majority they said that the government had not issued price list during the holy month, whereas government officials are not seen in the market to check overpricing.
The vendors recover profit of entire 11 months in just one month said a young buyer. He said that how could a salaried person and poor daily-wage earner enjoy this luxury in the holy month. The prices skyrocketed at all of sudden, with water melon being sold at Rs 80/kg against the Rs 50 and Rs 60/kg. Vendors blame wholesalers for the skyrocketing prices of fruit in the holy month. “I bought a 14kg box of muskmelon at Rs 670 in the wholesale market today which I had bought for Rs 350 or so until three day ago said a muskmelon seller in fruit merchant market. Mukaram Bacha, a buyer said that he had visited the market twice to buy fruit at cheaper rates but he couldn’t find any at affordable prices.
