Overcharging at Sunday bazaars

The News International

MASSIVE buying was seen in Sunday bazaars this week as it was the last weekend before Eid and there will be no these bazaars due to holidays on the next Sunday.

People in all Sunday bazaars made two weeks shopping of fruits and vegetables which pushed the prices upwards with the shortage of some items.

The decision of the district coordination, Lahore, of fixing the chicken meat price caused the unavailability of it at all Sunday bazaars while in the open market it was sold at higher rates. The price of chicken meat for Sunday bazaars was fixed at Rs 170 per kg but it was not seen in any bazaar. In the open market it was sold at Rs 180 to 200 per kg.

The chicken meat sellers at various Sunday bazaars said that they could not sell meat there when they fetched good higher price in the open market. They said the district government had fixed its rates at Rs 170 per kg while in open market they could charge up to Rs 200 per kg, why they should loss their Rs 30 per kg profit.

The chicken meat rates were in control in the City at the end of last week. But the DCO to favour the chicken meat sellers had fixed the rates at Rs 170 per kg after which its rates had reached Rs 180 to 200 per kg. Previously, its rates ranged between Rs 150 and 168 per kg.

The chief minister or other provincial government high-ups did not ask the district management about price hike in the provincial metropolis. The district management always took such measures which benefited the sellers and producers, not the public.

Light rain in the afternoon also affected business in Sunday bazaars while the water of the rain of the previous day was already standing in some of the bazaars.

The staff at various bazaars said that the rush of public had been seen since the morning as they knew well that no bazaar would be established next Sunday. They said that, expecting relatively higher buying, arrangements were made for availability of every item in the bazaars.

Overcharging, sale of rotten fruits and vegetables, unavailability of many items, absence of government officials continued in Sunday bazaars. The vendors were openly fleecing shoppers while selling C category items at B-category price and B-category items at A-category price. The price of new potato was reduced by Rs 8 per kg and fixed at Rs 30 to 34 per kg from Rs 38 to 42 per kg and stored potato price was fixed at Rs 18 to 22 per kg.

The onion gained Rs 4 to 5 per kg and its price reached Rs 26 to 30 per kg and vendors sold it by mixing in it rotten, B and C grade quality onion at Rs 30 per kg. The price of tomato sharply increased reached Rs 60 to 70 per kg from Rs 36 to 40 per kg while lowest quality and rotten tomatoes were sold at Rs 70 per kg. In open market it was sold at Rs 100 per kg. Garlic, China, price was fixed at Rs 170 to 180 per kg and sold at Rs 200 per kg. Garlic, Desi, price was fixed at Rs 160 to 170 per kg but it was missing in Sunday bazaars.