ISLAMABAD: In the wake of considerable cut in the prices of petroleum products, people have now pinned hope on the government that it will bring down prices of essential kitchen items including vegetables up to 5% and transport fares up to 12%.
It is to be noted that the prices of daily-use items including vegetables remained high in the market, although inflation for the lowest income group witnessed declined. However, only chicken prices came down in the outgoing month of October.
A survey conducted by Customs Today here on Sunday revealed that the vegetables prices including onion, tomato, potato, okra, lemon, ginger, garlic, capsicum (Simla Mirch), cabbage, green peas, radish (Mooli), carrot and cauliflower remained out of reach of the masses. Despite ample local production, the prices of seasonal vegetables witnessed sharp rise, leaving the poor masses curse their fate and inability of the government.
The survey, however, pointed out that Eggplant (baingan) was the cheapest at Rs 20 per kg in wholesale and Rs 30 in retail while ginger was the costliest at Rs 300 per kg in wholesale and Rs 360-400 per kg in retail. Onion was available at Rs 60 per kg in wholesale and at Rs 80 per kg in retail; tomato at Rs 60 in wholesales and at Rs 80 per kg in retail, potato was available at Rs 50 per in wholesale, while at Rs 60 in retail, okra at Rs 50 in wholesale and Rs 60-70 in retail, lemon at Rs 80 in wholesale and Rs 100 in retail, ginger at Rs 300 in wholesale and Rs 360-400 in retail market
Likewise garlic was being sold at Rs 100 in wholesale and Rs 160 in retail, capsicum at Rs 50 in wholesale and Rs 70 in retail, cabbage at Rs 50 in whole sale and Rs 60-70 in retail, green peas at Rs 100 in wholesale and Rs 130 in retail and radish at Rs 15 in wholesale and Rs 25 in retail.
Similarly the prices of carrot touched record high which in wholesale market was available at Rs 50 per kg and Rs 70 per kg in retail market. Egg price has also witnessed an increase of Rs 10 per dozen from Rs 110 per dozen to Rs 120 per dozen, live chicken price increased by Rs 20 per kg from Rs 140 per kg to Rs 160 per kg and chicken meat registered an increase of Rs 30 per kg from Rs 250 per kg to Rs 280 per kg.
The survey also revealed that prices of most of the pulses, however, were stable in the market, while sugar price had soared by Rs 3 per kg from Rs 60 per kg to Rs 63 per kg.
On the other hand, wheat flour per 20 kg bag is being sold at Rs 810 and per kg good quality rice is available at Rs 150 per kg. Meanwhile, in view of the considerable POL price cut, the masses have demanded decline in the prices of essentials including foodstuffs and transport fares. Talking to the Customs Today, residents of different localities welcomed the much-awaited decrease in the POL price, saying that though the decrease in the prices of petroleum products was not in proportion with the decline in international market, it was a good step on part of the government. Talking to this scribe, Zakaullah, a lawyer said that the decreased in POL prices was laudable but the government should now ensure its benefits at the grass-roots level. He stressed that the government should force the transporters to cut the fares, adding that stern measures should be taken to bring down prices of daily-use items as well.
Junaid, a student said that keeping the past history, there was little chance the transporters would cut the fares. He said that the government functionaries concerned always connived with mafia and this time, too, they would block trickledown effects of the POL price cut to benefit transporters. He urged the government to ensure effective implementation of the price mechanism to decrease transport fares.
People, at large, demanded the government to ensure that the prices of daily-use items and transport fares were decreased in proportion with cut announced in the prices of petroleum products.
