HYDERABAD: Fruit, vegetable prices rising; no check on wholesalers
By M. H. Khan
HYDERABAD, Oct 6: The district government has failed to act against the influential market players in order to ensure stable prices of fruits, vegetables and other items.
The administration is forcing only retailers and vendors to follow its price lists and not doing any thing against wholesalers who determine the prices.
The drive against profiteers which is continuing since the advent of Ramazan remained completely ineffective as far as relief to consumers is concerned.
It generaly believed that prices are manipulated in the vegetable market during open auction.
Fruits and vegetables are also stored in cold storages on a rental basis and the administration had not looked into this aspect.
The price controlling mechanism is defective, because as the district government does not appear to be concerned about wholesalers and cold storage owners.
The wholesalers offer prices to fruit and vegetable vendors in sharp contrast to those envisaged in price lists.
It provides an opportunity to retailers to sell goods at much higher rates while earning their profit.
There is general cry among fruit and vegetable sellers that the wholesalers are offering exorbitant rates to them.
Retailers said that they were being forced to follow official price lists regardless of losses they may have to bear.
As a result of spiralling price hike in fruits and vegetables, consumers are hit financially as they have to buy fruits and vegetables at whatever price is offered.
“I was slapped with a fine of Rs5,000 on Wednesday by price checking magistrate for selling banana quality-1 at Rs30 per dozen.
I bought banana from main market at Rs25 per dozen to sell it at Rs30 per dozen because there was change until October 4 in wholesale and retailer rates.
When I was fined, official price was fixed at Rs24 per dozen although I bought it at Rs25 wholesale price”, said fruit seller Abdul Hameed.
A steep rise in prices of fruits was noted on Friday as grapes (sundarkhani) were being sold at Rs140 to Rs160 per kg against official price of Rs112 per kg; watermelon at Rs20 per kg against Rs16 official price; muskmelon at Rs40 per kg against Rs30.
“We are buying grapes (sundarkhani) at Rs130 per kg from wholesalers and now tell me could I sell it at Rs112 per kg to consumer”, asked a fruit seller.
“We cannot reduce the prices or sell fruit as per lists as I will have to bear loss. Why don’t officers use their stick against auction holders and wholesalers of fruits in main fruit market? I purchased watermelon at Rs17.50 and Rs18 per kg so how could I sell it at Rs16 per kg as directed”, said a water-melon seller in Tower market.
The sudden surge in prices of fruits is simply incomprehensible given rates of fruits just few days before Ramazan.
On September 23, official price of grapes (sundrkhani) was Rs110 while it was sold at around Rs120, banana quality-1 was sold at Rs26 officially by retailers.
On September 22, grape prices were fixed at Rs108 per kg, pomegranate at Rs30 per kg, banana quality no1 at Rs26 per kg while on September 20 grapes (sundarkhani) was fixed at Rs110-Rs112 with wholesalers and retailers were selling at Rs120, pomegranate was fixed at Rs40 per kg and watermelon at Rs8 per kg.
Tomatoes are to be sold at Rs22, potato at Rs16, green chilli (talhari) at Rs52 and lady finger at Rs30 per kg.
However, same are available at Rs30, Rs20 and Rs60 per kg, respectively, which indicates a big difference.
“We are getting potato at Rs18 per kg from wholesalers and selling it at Rs20 per which is our just profit because we have to adjust our expenses of transportation and labour as well”, said a vegetable vendor.
He said that he was buying tomatoes at Rs24 to Rs25 per kg from wholesalers so how is he supposed to sell it at Rs22 per kg to consumers.
“Is it justifiable? And when we try to reason with price checking magistrates we are told not to sell goods”, he claimed.
He said that he bought 100kg bag of potato at Rs1,800, indicating his wholesale price at Rs18 per kg and official list put retail price of potato at Rs16 per kg.
Kiryana merchants have same reason too.
They said that lists put retail prices of pulse Channa-1 at Rs44, pulse Masoor-1 at Rs40 while they were buying them at 47 and R44 respectively from wholesalers.
Gram-flour is being sold by retailers at Rs48 while list’s rate is Rs44 and wholesalers are selling it at Rs44.60 per kg.
Flour is to be sold at Rs14 officially but it is being sold at Rs14.50 and Rs15.
Its official wholesale price is Rs13 but it was being sold at Rs13.50 per kg.
The district administration obtained rates from market in the evening to be issued next morning.
When these lists are floated the same are in sharp variance from those being offered by fruit and vegetable sellers.
