ISLAMABAD, July 21: While tomatoes’ price remained between Rs70 and Rs80 per kilogram in the previous week, it has jumped above Rs90 per kg at the retail end as retailers blame short supply at the wholesale market for the exorbitant rates.

The prices have reached Rs100 per kilogram in the upmarket of the twin cites such as Commercial Market, Rawalpindi, Super Market and even Aabpara, while they remained around Rs90-95 at the mid-level retail shops.

Moreover, tomatoes and other food items are expected to become even more expensive in the coming days as retailers would have to face less competition.

Currently, the retailers have to compete with the Ramazan Bazaars organised by the Islamabad Capital Territory and the Sasta Bazaars being held by the City Government Rawalpindi. However, the major competition comes from the three Sunday bazaars organised by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

More people arrive at the Sunday bazaars especially in Ramazan as shopping becomes physically taxing on weekdays after people return from their offices while fasting.

Therefore they gather on the weekend to complete their purchase for the week, even though the CDA’s bazaars are held on Tuesdays and Fridays as well.

The main drawback of the Sasta bazaars is that they are held in a small area and pose a congested look.

On Sunday, the Peshawar Mor and G-6 Sunday Bazaars witnessed a heavy rush despite the hot and humid climate as customers tried to complete their purchases well before Iftar time.

Tomatoes’ prices at these Sunday bazaars were around Rs84, and the difference in the prices at these bazaars and the retail end was clearly visible.

“We come here every Sunday from Satellite Town Rawalpindi because this bazaar is spacious and almost all the required commodities are available here,” said Mohammad Qasim while shopping at the Peshawar Mor Sunday bazaar. “The quality of fruits and vegetables is also quite good,” he added.

On the other hand, retailers maintained they were only the tail-end receiver and considered themselves as the aggrieved party.

“What can we do if the prices are high at the wholesale market?” said a retailer at Super Market, Islamabad.

Meanwhile, wholesalers have come up with a new excuse to make additional profits in Ramazan, as they blame the recent heavy rains for damaged crops.

“The movement of trucks has been disturbed and we have received reports that some of the crops at the fields have been damaged in Mansehra due to the recent downpour,” said Rizwan Farooq, a wholesaler at the fruits and vegetables market in I-11 Islamabad.

With more rains expected in the coming days, the reason being presented by the wholesalers could easily push the prices of other items higher, including chillies, lemon, onions and fruits.