LAHORE: As the prices of daily commodities are going up ahead of Ramzan, the city district administration, market committees and other departments concerned have failed to control the situation either due to meagre interest or other engagements.

“When the chief executive of our country says that he has not become the PM to control or deal with the potato and tomato prices, what can a common person expect from the government machinery — commissioner, deputy and assistant commissioners, market committee secretaries and other concerned,” deplores a man while talking to Dawn at a grocery shop in Johar Town.

“You can check the prices of various items that have massively (200 to 350 per cent) increased during the last three years or so. And even todate, the prices are going up on a weekly basis,” he continued.

Rates of daily commodities have shot through the roof ahead of Ramazan

According to the shopkeeper, the per litre cooking oil price has now increased to Rs490 that was Rs160 to Rs180 three years back.

The egg per dozen price, which was Rs90 to 110 in winter and Rs80 or so in summer three years before, touched a figure of Rs200 (winter) and Rs140 in summer. The rice price was Rs90 per kilo and now it is Rs180. The soap price (large piece) was Rs50 that has now reached Rs80, followed by sugar that is now being sold at Rs90 and it was Rs55 three years back.

The milk price (loose) was at Rs80 that has now reached to Rs130 or so. The flour price (per 20 kg bag /fine atta) was Rs650 to 700, but it has no reached Rs1,200. The Chakki Atta price was Rs45 that is now at Rs90 per kg in open market. “Similarly the prices of other items also surged and has now gone beyond the affordability limit,” he added.

At utility stores, the prices of commodities also surged like the open market and the discount offered to public at large remained meagre. Similarly the Ramzan subsidy of over Rs8 billion reportedly announced by the government (Rs3,000 per family) is yet to be in place, as the utility stores have no information in this regard.

“We have come to know that the subsidy has been announced. But still we need a notification that allows our computer system to give ration to the deserving at subsidised rates,” a salesman told this reporter at a utility store.

He said under the subsidy, the cooking oil of various companies - not of leading brands - will be given to the needy people for Rs260 per litre instead of Rs380 or so.

On the other hand, the retail prices being fixed daily by the market committees seem increasing as shown in the government’s own lists, despite the fact these are much higher in the open markets than those fixed.

According to March 21 price lists, the onion price was Rs36 per kg that was shown as increased to Rs42 in the March 28 list. Similarly, Kachnar was available for Rs155 on March 21, but it, in the March 28 list, was shown as increased to Rs187 per kg. When contacted, Lahore Market Committee Secretary Shahzad Cheema admitted the fact of massive price hike in the open market, stating that the government is trying hard to bring down the rates by adopting various techniques. “We even managed to provide fruits and vegetables at wholesale rates to chain-stores through auctions held at the vegetable markets. And we succeeded in regulating the prices. But we couldn’t succeed in regulating the prices at a large number of small shops and stores in the open market unfortunately,” he explained.

He said he had given a proposal to the administration to organise small Mandis in the city since its operational cost is much less than the shops in the open markets. “This is the only way to regulate prices and provide several items to the people at discounted rates. Let’s see how the administration responds to the suggestion,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2022