LAHORE: The government has literally failed to enforce the price lists of vegetables, fruits, pulses, rice and other commodities in the open market as the shopkeepers continue to fleece the public by massive overcharging.

On the other hand, the prices, especially of vegetables and fruits continue having an upward trend almost on a daily basis due to poor and obsolete enforcement mechanism based on cosmetic or temporary arrangements, making life of common people tougher more and more, Dawn has learnt.

“Living in Pakistan has now become very difficult due to low income of people and increasing prices of electricity, vegetables, fruits, commodities, petroleum products etc,” says a customer at a vegetable shop.

Besides, according to him, there is no one to check the provision of vegetables and other commodities to the people on the rates fixed by the government, he lamented while talking to Dawn on Monday.

“See the price of brinjal, which is Rs300 per kg in the open market. But the price mentioned in the official list is Rs200,” he pointed out, criticising the government for its failure to control inflation.

According to vegetable price list issued for July 29 (Monday), the price of potato (A-class) was fixed at Rs82 per kg (maximum), followed by onion Rs95, brinjal Rs210, cauliflower Rs130, capsicum Rs190, okra Rs155, turnip Rs120, taro root (arvi) Rs130, green peas Rs300, bitter gourd Rs95, green chilli Rs120, tomato Rs135, garlic (local) Rs360, garlic (Thailand) Rs605, cucumber Rs75, Indian round gourd (teenda) Rs170, sponge gourd (ghiya tori) Rs95, carrot (China) Rs75 and lemon (local) Rs395. The prices of various fruits, according to lists, range between Rs200 to Rs600 per kg.

“The prices of all vegetables and fruits are almost 50pc higher in the open market than those fixed in the government lists despite the fact there is already profit of up to 15pc for the shopkeepers if the follow the official prices. But no one is following the lists and seems busy looting the people who are already under immense financial stress due to record high bills of electricity and gas,” laments another shopper while talking to Dawn.

“But, unfortunately, no one in the government is taking up this issue seriously really and just relying on cosmetic actions for media consumption,” he continues while lashing out at the government.

He says he had never witnessed such huge prices of vegetables and fruits in the open markets before and added: “I will request the government to ensure enforcement of price lists by all means”.

When contacted, a senior market committee official admitted that there was overcharging in the open market by the shopkeepers.

“The overcharging is due to lack of enforcement measures despite availability of price control magistrates,” Lahore Market Committee Secretary Shehzad Cheema said while talking to this reporter.

He says the increase in vegetable prices is just because of off-season (ended on June 30) as well as less harvesting/picking due to rains across the province.

“When there is rain and water in the agri-fields, who will pick/harvest vegetables. This causes shortage leading to raised prices.”

Mr Cheema says shopkeepers term price lists as prepared/based on assumptions, reducing profit to the minimum level at the time when everyone is worried about the increasing rates of energy and day-to-day expenses.

“My shop’s electricity bill has increased by 30pc. The shop owner too has increased monthly rent. I also include the salaries of my son and myself in my expenses. Some police and corporation officials also get vegetables and fruits free of cost forcibly. Now you tell me how can I sell vegetables, fruits etc on the rates as per the official rate list?” Mr Cheema quoted a shopkeeper as having said in the market.

He says the government is trying hard to enforce price lists by conducting raids. “Enforcement authorities are also being established and work is underway these days in this regard. Hopefully, this will help us control the price hike,” he claims.

It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, in April, had pledged to establish the enforcement authorities in every district and tehsil under the umbrella of a new Punjab Enforcement Authority to be headed by the chief secretary. But such authorities are yet to be established or made operational.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2024