LAHORE: Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has urged its government to give permission to resume import of vegetables from India through the Wagah border to bring down the soaring prices of vegetables due to massive floods.
The request from the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) came just a day after Pakistan finance minister Miftah Ismail said Islamabad could consider importing vegetables and other edible items from India following the destruction of standing crops.
Currently, the neighbouring nation is witnessing a surge in the prices of various vegetables and fruits due to devastating floods as the supply of vegetables from Balochistan, Sindh and south Punjab has badly been affected because of the disaster. Tomatoes prices have soared up to Rs 500 per kg and onions up to Rs 400 per kg in the country.
It is widely expected that the situation may worsen further in the next three months.
The LCCI said that it is high time the Pakistan government grants permission to import vegetables from India to control the soaring prices.
In August 2019 — post the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir — Pakistani government had suspended trade with India.
According to Pakistani officials, floods have claimed more than 1,634 lives so far.
