KARACHI, Aug 29: The city government on Tuesday commenced the pre-Ramazan meeting with the stakeholders of various commodities and it plans to finalize the price list in the next five to 10 days to maintain the rates for the whole holy month.
EDO Enterprise and Investment Promotion Syed Abid Ali Shah claimed that the stakeholders of various commodities have promised to keep prices stable during Ramazan.
He told Dawn on Tuesday that the city government has conducted a survey during the last six months to one year so that it could have an upper hand in finalizing price-lists with wholesalers and retailers.
He added that price lists would come out much earlier as compared to last year.
To keep a vigil on prices, it has been decided that district officers will keep a liaison with leading traders, he said.
In response to a query that prices of all items, like fresh milk, bread, flour, tea, ghee and cooking oil and vegetables, have already increased ahead of Ramazan, he attributed the price hike to increase in oil prices coupled with demand and supply situation of the essential commodities whether from local crop area or from imports.
However, he said “this year, the price survey of the city government would help determine actual and artificial increase in essential items’ prices during the last few months.”
He said the city government is planning to publish the price lists in newspapers so that consumers could be well aware of the prevailing rates in the markets before purchasing the items.
The E&IP will finalize the list with retailers and wholesalers and the EDO Revenues, DO Revenues, DDO Revenues, Mukhtarkars and assistant mukhtarkars, who have been conferred with magisterial powers, will monitor prices, he said.
Meanwhile, Joint Secretary, Dairy Farmers Association Karachi, Rafiquddin Babar told Dawn that the dairy farmers have decided to keep prices of fresh milk unchanged in Ramazan and would decide the future course of action after the holy month regarding the increase.
General Secretary Karachi Wholesales Grocers Association (KWGA), Aftab Rehman Gaddi said he had asked the city government officials to check prices especially at retail level instead of wholesale prices.
