KARACHI: After a steep rise in wheat flour and sugar rates, consumers brave another challenge of paying more than double for various vegetables, while pulses despite a drop in wholesale rates being retailed at higher prices.

For example, turrai (ridge gourd), lokki (bottle gourd) and karela (bitter gourd) prices have surged to Rs200 per kg from Rs80-100 a few days back, followed by bhindi (okra) Rs300 from Rs150-200 per kg.

Tomato rates now hover between Rs100 per kg compared to Rs80 a few days back. Ahead of Eidul Azha, the red fruit was selling at Rs50-60 per kg. The price of onion is now Rs70-80 per kg against Rs50-70.

Potato sells at Rs90-100 per kg despite a rise in local production. Besides, both onion and potato hold a bulk share in overall exports of vegetables.

The country’s overall vegetable exports in terms of quantity swelled to 1.276m tonnes ($283m) in 11MFY23 as compared to 874,231 tonnes ($291m) in the same period last fiscal year.

Despite fall in wholesale rates of pulses, retailers continue to fleece buyers

Pakistan’s potato production rose by 4.8pc in FY23 to 8,319,000 tonnes from 7,937,000 tonnes in FY22, while onion production had dropped by 18pc to 1,684,000 tonnes from 2,062,000 tonnes in FY22, according to the Economic Survey FY23.

Falahi Anjuman Wholesale Vegetable Market President Haji Shahjehan said prices of vegetables usually crawl up at the end stocks and drop on the arrival of new crop.

He said the wholesale price of good quality onion arriving from Balochistan crop ranges between Rs45-50 per kg depicting no major rise, while medium quality onions sell between Rs25-35 per kg. No shortage of onion exists despite rains in Balochistan and problems in the arrival of goods due to bad road conditions, he claimed.

He said currently potato is arriving from Punjab’s cold storage and its price has risen to Rs2,200-2,400 per 40 kg from Rs1,800-2,000.

Meanwhile, wholesale prices of various pulses have fallen by Rs10-25 per kg due to excessive imports. However, retailers continued to sell the products at higher rates.

Karachi Wholesalers Grocers Association (KWGA) President Rauf Ibrahim said the wholesale rate of daal mash fell to Rs425 from Rs450 per kg while gram pulse, moong and masoor rates slipped to Rs190, Rs195 and Rs225 from Rs200, Rs210 and Rs235 per kg. Kabuli Channa (white gram) and Kala Channa (black gram) wholesale rates fell to Rs330 and Rs180 from Rs360 and Rs190 per kg.

On the contrary, retailers are charging Rs520 per kg for mash pulse and Rs260 for gram pulse and Rs280 for moong and masoor each, respectively.

Mr Rauf said traders had made bulk imports of various pulses after the State Bank of Pakistan relaxed restrictions on the opening of letters of credit.

The country’s pulses import rose to 1.252m tonnes ($887mn) in 11MFY23 versus 849,922 tonnes ($568m) in the same period of last fiscal year. The average per tonne (APT) price of pulses in 11MFY23 stood higher at $708 as compared to $667 in the same period last year.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2023