SAHIWAL: A sharp surge in vegetable prices has gripped the local markets of tehsil Chichawatni and Sahiwal, with rates climbing by 150 to 200 percent on essential vegetables.

Consumers expressed frustration over the absence of the official daily price list, which is made and issued by the district market committee in early hours each day. The list was later made available through a private contractor.

The citizens report that while the official rate for tomatoes is listed between Rs140 and Rs160 per kg, the retail market price has soared to Rs300–350. Similar discrepancies have been observed in the pricing of other vegetables, including cabbage, ladyfinger, green peas, carrots, onions, ginger, turnip, cucumber, cauliflower, and potatoes.

Sources close to the situation toldDawnthat the market committee has outsourced the distribution of the daily rate list to a private contractor, Talib Hussain of Faisalabad under an annual contract of Rs7m. According to the agreement, the contractor is responsible for getting a photocopy of the rate list, delivering its photocopies to each shopkeeper, vegetable seller and vendor on a daily basis. However, this system appears to be failing, as the contractor has reportedly not been fulfilling his duty, leaving consumers without a list of official prices while at the mercy of shopkeepers. Many think that this is being done with the nexus of shopkeepers and the contractor to keep the consumers unaware of the official rate.

Market committee outsources price list distribution thru’ private contractor

Zubair Hussain, secretary Market Committee Sahiwal, has rejected these allegations, stating that the contractor is expected to recover his costs by selling the rate list to each vendor at Rs20 per copy. He argues that failure to distribute the list would undermine the contractor’s financial model. However, when asked whether the market committee has any mechanism to verify the contractor’s compliance, Mr Zubair admits that there is no such system. Although price magistrates appointed by the district administration are tasked with monitoring market price list rates, the market committee lacks basic oversight tools — including data of the number of vendors and the quantity of rate lists printed or distributed by contractor.

Mr Zubair confirmed that there is no monitoring framework in place to track daily rate list distribution to all vegetable sellers. Consumers demand better monitoring mechanisms between the market committee, contractor and price magistrates to ensure thawt the rate list is consistently provided and displayed at shops.

They fear that vegetable prices will continue to rise due to flood-related crop damage and urge the district government to enforce transparency and accountability. Many blame the current crisis on the artificial inflation caused by the absence of a functioning monitoring mechanism.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2025