KARACHI, May 26: Owing to a sharp increase in the rates of rice, milk, tomato, potato and other commodities ahead of the budget, the common man has started feeling the brunt of price-spiral.

The prices of tomato have increased from Rs2 to 3 a kg in March to Rs50 to 60 a kg this week, while potato prices witnessed a fresh increase of Rs2 a kg.

Earlier, there was an increase in the price of rice by at least Rs15 to 20 per kg in various varieties, followed by an increase in the prices ghee, cooking oil and milk (fresh, powered and packed).

On April 1 and May 1, tomato was selling at Rs10 and Rs20 per kg, respectively. Now rates range between Rs50 and 60 per kg depending on the area.

A wholesaler said the commodity from Sindh is available at Rs45 to 40 a kg in Sabzimandi. Tomato prices in the wholesale had tumbled to Rs2 to 3 a kg in March and Rs5 to 6 a kg in retail in the city.

In March, oversupply situation and good crop from Sindh proved beneficial for consumers, but it caused losses to growers as they did not get good prices.

In many areas of Sindh, growers either did not pick the finished product from the producing area or many growers ruined the standing crop using tractors.

The market is now facing an acute shortage of tomato, said the

wholesaler, adding prices may stabilise as new crop from Punjab and NWFP is expected to arrive in June, and from Balochistan in July.

He said tomato has now started arriving from India at a price of Rs400 to 450 per 10 kg in Lahore which would help control prices to some extent.

Good quality potato is now selling at Rs14 a kg as compared to its previous price of Rs12 a kg.

Moreover, crop from Punjab now comes to an end, and the entire produce has been sent to cold storages. In Subzimandi, it is available at Rs9 to 10 a kg from Rs7 to 8 a kg.