Prices of edibles skyrocketing in Ramazan; citizens' purchasing powers exhaust

The holy month of Ramadan has been greeted prices spiral of all daily use edibles, raised by 50% to 80%. The prices of fruits remained all time high besides prices of oil, pulses, milk, and other commodities have gone through the roof. Extra charging almost on each food and other essential items tells you that the moon of Ramadan has been sighted.
Each trader in the market raced ahead of the other in ignoring the price list issued by the district governments and fleecing the skin of consumers without fear of any check on him. In the absence of a practical price checking mechanism, small traders, pushcart vendors, green grocers and other household commodities dealers have now appeared to be in full action to extract money from inflation-hit consumers in the holy month of Ramzan, when purchasing of basic goods stay at record high. "The prices of basic household commodities will continue to surge if the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) kept on adjusting prices without consulting the grocery retailers association", Farid Qureshi, General Secretary Karachi Wholesalers Grocers Group (KWGG) said.
He said that the current price of one kilogram bag of sugar stands at Rs 62, 16-kg canister rate of Oil-Ghee is Rs 2550, the average per kg rate of pulses is Rs 90. However, he maintained there was no existence of price checking mechanism that primarily assist the profiteers to extract money from poverty-stricken consumers.
"The overall increase in prices of pulses, oil, rice, wheat and other necessary household items this year records at 30% comparing last year" While at the outset of Ramzan, the prices all such items have witnessed an increase up to 25%, he added. He lamented that Commissioner Karachi, who is now the chief price controller, did not bother to consult KWGG while preparing a price list. According to Qureshi, there exist many loopholes in the price list. He mentioned one that the price of Kabli Chana is set at Rs 143 per kg in KMC price list while retailers have been incurring it on Rs 162 per Kg. Qureshi's view could be gauged from the fact that despite forming a price list of basic household items, the method to ensure that these items are sold on prescribed prices wholly does not exist. Besides, the repeated increase of petroleum prices has also made an indirect contribution to surge in rates of commodities as their inter-province transportation charges have also increased in corresponding manner.
Consumers have also reacted strongly over continuous surge in price of commodities, especially in the month of Ramadan. The prices of the fruits have also gone beyond the access of the common man with start of Ramadan, forcing the consumer to purchase at exorbitant prices of sellers.
The official list fixes Gola grapes of 1st class quality at Rs 86 and it is being sold at Rs 200 per kg. The Sundarkhani grapes are being sold at Rs 250 against the governmental price of Rs 126. Official retail prices of peaches are Rs 86 per kg but the vendors are minting roaring profit on the same by selling the fruit at Rs 140 per kg.
The fixed price of Bananas is Rs 56 of one dozen as the consumer are compelled to get at the RS70. Similarly Apples are being sold at Rs 100 per kg against the official price Rs 45. Mango (Choonsa) is being sold at Rs 75 instead of its fixed price of Rs 34.
"I was expecting government to take some decisive measures to stop the menace of price surging of basic items, but even in Ramzan no announcement is made by the government for ensuring provision of subsidised commodities," 65 years old Mohammed Jhangir said.
Similar thoughts were received when different people belonging to lower class and lower-middle class were contacted to have their view on current state of inflation. Incensed consumers have appealed to the government to immediately announce subsidy on all basic items and launch strong campaign against profit hoarders in all parts of the city.
Retailers say how they could sell fruits according to the lists when they are not purchasing them at controlled rates. "Why should we alone bear losses? Why don't administration officials maintain equilibrium in wholesale market and issue list with reasonable prices of fruits," said a fruit seller.
Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners having magistrate powers failed to protect the interest of common men and proving useless, rarely they are seen at the market places. Citizens called for immediate action from concerned quarters to control the price spiral, urging forthwith action against the hoarders and profit makers.