05 January 2004	Monday	12 Ziqa'ad 1424

LAHORE, Jan 4: Dry fruit prices have increased by 50 to 70 per cent as compared to the last year, and dealers have urged the government to form a uniform policy for its export keeping in view the local requirements.

According to a survey, the price of fig has registered a 50 to 80 per cent increase this year, and it is now available for Rs500 to Rs600 per kilogramme as compared to the last year's Rs300 to Rs400. Similarly, the prices of almond, cashew and pistachio have also registered a substantial increase.

Fruit dealers attribute this increase to the irrational export policy and smuggling of the dry fruit besides uncertain conditions in Afghanistan from where almond, groundnut and other dry fruit are supplied to Pakistan in bulk. India and Sri Lanka still remain the biggest export markets of cashew.

The dry fruit being sold by vendors, mostly Afghans, is much cheaper as compared to those being sold at shops. Shopkeepers claim that the quality of the dry fruit sold by these vendors is substandard.-APP