January 14, 2007	Sunday	Zilhaj 23, 1427

KARACHI, Jan 13: Arrivals of new crop and frequent imports have led to price fall in onion, potato, tomato, ginger and garlic. Notable decline has been witnessed in onion because of huge imports from India.

In some commodities like ginger, retailers had enjoyed a field day by charging Rs80 per kg just few days ahead of Eidul Azha. Now its price had settled at Rs50 per kg.

Pakistanis have so far consumed 300,000-325,000 tons of Indian onion from September 15, 2006 to January 13, 2007 as a result of 90 per cent Sindh crop damage caused by heavy rains in August to September.

Indian onion is now priced at Rs24 per kg as compared to Rs28 in the last week of December 2006. Its price had been ranging between Rs30-35 per kg during November-December 2006 when imports had been in full swing after September 15.

Falahi Anjuman Wholesale Vegetable Market President Haji Shahjehan said that some leftover crop of Sindh’s various areas had also started arriving and now both Indian and locally produced crop were available at Rs20 per kg at wholesale stage.

He said some Chinese onion had also landed in the upcountry but in very small quantity. Besides, some quantities of Iranian and Afghanistan onion had also arrived during September to October. He recalled that Pakistan had imported 70,000-80,000 tons of Indian onion in 2005 to meet the demand.

About cheap quality and bad taste of Indian onion, he said that initial imports were from old Indian crop while the fresh arrivals from January this year had much better taste and improved quality.

He said onion prices had been falling due to heavy imports from India as well as arrival from those areas of Sindh where crop had not been damaged so badly.

He said some 150 trucks carrying 12-25 tons of onion each were coming from the interior Sindh. However, in peak season some 500 trucks used to arrive from the Sindh area. The Sindh crop usually finds its way into the market from September/October till February. He said imports from India may continue by the end of current month to meet the domestic demand.

Potato price had fallen to Rs10 from Rs15 per kg on January 1. On November 1 and December 1, 2006, it was priced at Rs22 and Rs20 per kg respectively. Mr Shahjehan said that wholesale price of potato was tagged at Rs6 per kg.

He attributed the price fall to the start of Punjab’s new crop which is termed satisfactory in terms of quantity this year. “Potato exports to Colombo, Malaysia and Iran have been started in little quantities”.

Tomato price had plunged to Rs10 from Rs18 per kg on January 1, 2007. It was available at Rs25 per kg in November 1, 2006, rising to Rs40 per kg on December 1, 2006. Arrival of Sindh new crop has led to decrease in its prices.

Ginger price had declined to Rs50 from Rs80 per kg on January 1, 2007 as demand had slowed down after Eidul Azha. Chinese ginger was available at Rs50 per kg during November and December 2006 but retailers indulged in profiteering pushing up the rates up to Rs80 amid rising demand on the occasion of Eidul Azha.

In garlic, the price had now gone down to Rs55 from Rs60 per kg on January 1, 2007. It was selling at Rs50 per kg on November 1 and Rs60 per kg on December 1, 2006. Garlic price is also dependent on the rates of imports from China.