For more than three months, consumers have been paying between Rs320 and Rs350 a kilo for garlic, ‘Lehson’, at markets in Pakistan. The prices of vegetables over the past few weeks have also jumped up and consumers allege that the Rawalpindi district government is doing nothing about it.
Rawalpindi-Islamabad Vegetable Wholesale Dealers Association (RIVWDA) General Secretary Muhammad Aslam Shaikh admitting the fact said, “We are facing a shortage of ‘Lehson’ (garlic) for months. We are hoping that the prices will come down after the arrival of the new crop next month.”
The price fluctuation is witnessed on a daily basis and no action is being taken by the local administration. The prices of vegetables have jumped up to alarming proportions during the past two weeks but local government machinery has completely failed to check the rising prices, people alleged. They said on the other hand, hoarders and profiteers have also created an artificial shortage of these kitchen items to earn more and more profit.
The prices of onion, garlic, potato and ginger are also continuously increasing even in the city’s weekly bazaars.
(1 Indian Rupee=0.015USD)
Source: thenews.com.pk
