Flood effects: Vegetables, fruits are expensive in Lahore, onions, tomatoes scarce in Islamabad

Lahore/Islamabad: While the floods have destroyed fields, the daily life of the citizens has also become difficult. The prices of vegetables and fruits have increased in Lahore markets, while tomatoes and onions have disappeared from Islamabad markets.

In Lahore, the prices of chicken, vegetables, and fruits have increased significantly during the last 2 weeks. The official rate of chicken meat is fixed at Rs595 per kg, but it is being sold in the market for Rs600 to Rs650 per kg, while the price of clean meat has reached Rs720 and boneless meat has reached Rs1,030 per kg.

Tomatoes are being sold for Rs250 instead of Rs95, onions for Rs90 instead of Rs60, potatoes for Rs90 instead of Rs70, brinjal for Rs200 instead of Rs100, okra for Rs200 instead of Rs150, cucumber for Rs150 instead of Rs100 and capsicum for Rs300 instead of Rs150 per kg.

Fruit prices have also increased. Bananas are available for Rs150 per dozen instead of Rs120, grapes for Rs500 to Rs600 per kg instead of Rs400, apples for Rs250 instead of Rs200, peaches for Rs250 instead of Rs150, summer squash for Rs200 instead of Rs170, and guava for Rs150 to Rs200 per kg instead of Rs100.

The situation in Islamabad is no different. Onions and tomatoes have disappeared from the food items in the markets there.

Citizens say that it has become difficult to cook without basic vegetables like spices, while shopkeepers argue that the prices in the market are very high but the government demands them to sell at a lower rate.

When demand is high and supply is low, prices go up. However, after the recent floods, the burden of the difference between the government and the market is finally suffered by the people.

Citizens say that the government should ensure implementation of the price lists, while shopkeepers argue that the floods have destroyed the crops, which is why prices have increased.