KARACHI: Traders ignore directive to declare stocks
By Aamir Shafaat Khan
KARACHI, Sept 26: A cool response has been accorded to the city government’s directive to wholesalers and stockists of essential commodities with regard to the declaration of their stocks.
The directive, contained in the Sept 12 advertisements appearing in print media, was aimed at taking stock of the situation and finalizing special prices of such commodities for the month of holy Ramazan.
September 17 was set as the deadline for the compliance of the directive, which was also conveyed to stakeholders through fax individually.
Even nine days after the deadline, not a single organization or individual trader, has come out with the required information.
It is learnt that the city government has now decided to finalize the price list for Ramazan in a couple of days although it has no idea of stocks and supply position. Nor has it planned any action against leaders and members of the businessman community who have ignored its much publicized and widely circulated directive.
Though the wholesalers and market people appeared unwilling to declare their stocks in writing, they maintained that the city government had verbally been informed that markets had plenty of stocks of all essential items and there would be no shortage of any commodity during the holy month.
EDO Enterprise and Investment Promotion (E&IP) of the CDGK Raeesuddin Paracha said on Monday that in the absence of any information about available stocks and supply position, the city government would have no option opened but to fix the prices of essential commodities on the basis of its own market surveys.
Contrary to the city government officials’ claim, Adviser to the Karachi Wholesale Grocers Association (KWGA) Anis Majeed said on Monday that the association had provided the stock position in detail to the city government well before the September 17 deadline. Had the CDGK not received the same, it would certainly have taken some sort of action, he argued.
About prices of some other commodities, Mr Paracha claimed that the city government had succeeded in convincing dealers and market people to offer a reduction in prices of various commodities, including pulses and rice, by Rs2-5 per kg as the special Ramazan package.
Responding to the same directive issued last year, only four/five wholesalers of the Jodia Bazaar had submitted information about their stocks with the city government whereas major stockists, main market players and other leading traders had ignored the same. This had ultimately forced the city government to finalize the price list for Ramazan on its own, triggering a hue and cry from wholesalers of pulses. It had then issued a revised price list to calm them down.
Mr Paracha had, earlier this month, stated that the price list for the upcoming Ramazan would be finalized 15 days before the start of the holy month but he could not do so due to the attitude of the businessman community in this regard.
The EDO also regretted the attitude of meat merchants and dairy association, pointing out that they had flatly refused to offer any cut in prevailing prices. However, he added, the city government would fix reduced prices of these items arbitrarily if they did not soften their stance. He also warned that action, including arrest and challan, would be taken if the final price list was not followed.
Mr Paracha revealed that sugar millers’ organization had also refused to provide sugar stock position to the city government. They had maintained that the millers usually did not keep stocks, he added.
About flour millers, he said they were yet to declare their stocks whereas a report on wheat stocks was also awaited.
