Karachi, Jan 9: The city government last year announced the setting up of four new Sabzi Mandis in Karachi, but no progress has been made in this regard despite many months.

Meanwhile, a steep rise in vegetable prices has affected Karachiites, particularly low-income families.

Retail traders attribute the hike in rates to bad crops this year and escalating transport charges.

They say the only operative vegetable wholesale market, the new Sabzi Mandi, on the Superhighway, is some 30kms from the city. For the residents of Orangi, Keamari, Mauripur, Defence, Landhi, Baldia or Korangi, the distance is even greater.

Karachi is supplied vegetables and fruits via two routes. The Superhighway, linking Karachi to Hyderabad and upcountry via Nooriabad and the National Highway linking Karachi to Hyderabad and upcountry via Thatta.

Growers using the Superhighway find New Sabzi Mandi convenient while those using the National Highway or RCD Highway have to pay additional transportation charges. Experts said as the city is dependent on one Sabzi Mandi, this has created a monopoly for wholesale traders, commission agents and middlemen who are fixing prices at will.

The citizens and consumers' protection bodies are demanding more vegetable and fruit markets in different localities of the city to facilitate consumers and bring down prices. They say each of the 18 towns needs its own Sabzi Mandi.

The issue of setting up more Sabzi Mandis was taken up in May 2006, and Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, addressing a meeting said another big Sabzi Mandi equipped with cold storage facilities would be set up on the National Highway. On June 8, 2006, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan said four new Sabzi Mandis would be set up in Karachi. The provincial and the city governments would establish two new Sabzi Mandis each, he added.

Analysts said vegetables are the staple diet of the masses. Due to increasing poverty, fewer people can afford meat, fish and poultry. If the government can not set up a Sabzi Mandi in each town, it should at least set up the four Sabzi Mandis it promised, as this will bring some relief to the under privileged families.—PPI