June 4, 2003	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 3, 1424

ISLAMABAD, June 3: The weekly national average wholesale prices of onion and tomato for the week ending May 30, 2003, respectively, was Rs140 and Rs201 per 40 kg, which is 46 and 58 per cent less than those of the corresponding period of previous year.

Last year, according to a Press release by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MINFAL) here on Tuesday, the wholesale rate of onion was Rs334 and of tomato Rs383 per 40 kg.

MINFAL also pointed out that the farmer’s share in consumer price of onion was only 35pc. The remaining 65pc was accounted for by the middleman’s profit and transportation charges.

The price trend of onion over space and time showed that it starts declining after November and reaches the lowest level by June. It starts rising again during Monsoon season, reaching the peak during the period August-December.

Nevertheless, the weekly average price of onion, in wholesale and retail, dropped in most of the markets owing to increased arrivals from Sindh and Punjab.

As regards tomato, its price has been varying from week to week or even day to day. In the long-term though, the price of tomato declines during March-April and reaches its lowest level in May because this is the season of peak supply. Subsequently, it begins to rise and reaches the high level in November.

Last week, MINFAL further asserted, the prices of tomato decreased in Hyderabad due to arrivals from Larkana and in Multan and Lahore due to arrivals from tomato producing areas of Punjab. However, the prices increased in Karachi, Sukkur, Faisalabad and Quetta mainly because of higher charges on supplies from the producing areas.