SWAT: People in Swat have asked the district administration to take action against the shopkeepers for unilaterally increasing prices of essential items, including flour, chicken, beef, vegetables, cooking oil and fruits since Ramazan started.

They said the abrupt increase in prices of daily use items during the fasting month had affected the purchasing power of the common man. They said before the advent of Ramazan, per kilogramme price of beef was Rs500, which had been jacked up to Rs800 per kg.

Similarly, they complained the price of 20kg wheat flour bag had been increased to Rs3,000.

“Price of tomato was Rs50 per kg before Ramazan, but has now soared to Rs150 per kg,” said Imtiaz Alam, a resident of Saidu Sharif.

Consumers in Mingora Bazaar said prices of vegetables had been increased threefold as rate of peas per kg had soared to Rs320, okra Rs340 and onion Rs200. Similarly, prices of fruits have also been increased twofold. They said poultry and mutton rates had also been increased without any official check.

“Before the fasting month, I used to buy apples at Rs250 per kg, but today the same apple is sold at Rs400 per kg. The price of strawberry per kg is now Rs400, while guava is sold at Rs300 per kg. Prices of nearly all fruits have been hiked,” Amjad Khan, a labourer, complained.

The vendors and retail shop owners shifted the blame on the wholesale dealers and said they got everything at higher prices.

The consumers urged the relevant authorities to keep a check on profiteering during Ramazan.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2023