RAWALPINDI: With the start of the new fiscal year, prices of edibles have skyrocketed despite claims by the local administration and Punjab government that the rates had been stabilised.

According to the price list of edibles issued by the district administration, wheat flour has been fixed at Rs90 per kg but in shops and small mills (Chakis) it is being sold for Rs140 per kg. Similarly the price of Daal Channa has been fixed at Rs245 per kg but it is available for Rs345; Daal Masoor’s official price is Rs285 but it is being sold for Rs325 while Daal Maash’s official rate is Rs490 per kg but it is available for Rs600.

In the same way, the official price of milk is Rs190 per litre but it is being sold for Rs220 whereas curd is available for Rs240 per kg. There is a big difference in price of meat as the official rate of mutton is Rs1,600 per kg whereas it is available in the market for Rs2,300. The price of beef has been fixed at Rs800 per kg but it is available for Rs1,300.

The residents were unaware about the official price list issued by the district administration and said prices of edibles had surged in the garrison city and there was no check.

“It is difficult to pay the electricity bills and manage the kitchen budget at the same time. A common man with a salary of Rs50,000 per month is finding it difficult to make ends meet. Prices of pulses had increased drastically but the writ of the government was nowhere to be seen,” said Mohammad Kamran, a resident of Chaudhry Bostan Khan Road.

Aqeel Ahmed from Arya Mohallah said the price of chicken had increased and we had no option but to cook potatoes for lunch and dinner.

“Pulses are expensive too, with Daal Maash priced at Rs600. A 10kg bag of wheat flour is available forRs1,000 despite the tall claims of the Punjab government that it had reduced prices of edibles,” he said.

Suhail Khan, a resident of Allahabad, said people with low salaries consumed meat only during Eid as they could not afford mutton which was available for Rs2,300 per kg and beef for Rs1,300.

“We use low quality pulses and vegetables. A day’s meal costs us Rs300 - that too if we cook only vegetables,” he said.

When contacted, Rawalpindi Karyana Merchant Association chairman Saleem Pervaiz Butt said prices of pulses had increased as the government had imposed withholding tax on pulses that were imported.

“We are facing problems as the wholesalers had raised the prices of pulses and wheat flour whereas the price magistrate imposed fine amounting to Rs30,000 to Rs50,000 on retailers only. We get edibles from the wholesale market at high price and it is not possible for us to sell it at low rates,” he added.

He said price of pulses had jumped as Daal Mash was being sold at Rs600 per kg against its official price of Rs490 per kg. Daal Channa’s official price is Rs245 but wholesalers are giving it to us for Rs340 per kg.

As far as wheat flour is concerned, Mr Butt said they were buying a 10kg bag of flour for Rs990 and sold it for Rs1,000.

“Most mills located in Islamabad said they will sell flour at official price set by the federal government and not the Punjab government,” Mr Butt said, adding that following the imposition of new taxes, the price of food items would increase further in the coming days.

He said the Punjab government had asked the price magistrates to impose heavy fines on shopkeepers but they failed to rationalise the official price list after checking the market.

He urged the district administration to revise the official price list of edibles in consultation with shopkeepers and wholesalers.

“A drive should also be launched to control price in the wholesale market as it was the main problematic area,” he added.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2024