October 17, 2007	Wednesday	Shawwal 4, 1428

MULTAN, Oct 16: Prices of vegetables and fruits swelled during Eid holidays due to a shortfall of supply to the local market from neighbouring provinces.

Tomato and grapes touched the highest rates and were being sold at Rs80 to Rs100 and Rs140 to Rs180 per kilo, respectively.

Traders are, however, expecting a decline in prices in the forthcoming days.

The local market committee could not issue rate lists because of Eid holidays giving grocers an opportunity to mint desired money from purchasers.

Tomato was being sold at Rs40 per kg during the last week of Ramazan, but its prices swelled to Rs80 to Rs100 per kg. Similarly, grapes’ prices swelled to Rs140 to Rs180 from Rs100 to Rs120 recorded during the last week of Ramazan.

Potato was being sold at Rs40 against Rs30 per kg during the last week of Ramazan, onions at Rs50 against Rs40, green chillies at Rs80 against Rs65 to Rs70, cauliflower at Rs50 against Rs35 to Rs40 and garlic at Rs100 against Rs80 to Rs85 of pre-Eid prices.

Apple prices soared from Rs60 to Rs80 to Rs80 to Rs100, pomegranate’s from Rs90 to Rs120, ganymede’s from Rs45 to Rs60 per kg and banana’s Rs40 to Rs60 per dozen.

Local commission agents said fruits and vegetables’ supply from Balochistan and Sindh to Multan and other markets remained suspended during Eid holidays providing an opportunity to hoarders to escalate their prices.

Balochistan is a source of supplies of fruits and vegetables to Punjab and other parts of the country during early wintering season.

The traders said the prices were likely to fall in the next couple of days with start of regular supplies from Wednesday.

Tariq Abdullah, the Market Committee administrator, told Dawn that they had compiled rate lists on a daily basis even during Eid holidays, but their distribution was responsibility of trader organisations.

He said a special magistrate was also appointed to check the prices.