KARACHI, Nov 20: Wholesale prices of essential commodities, specially, pulses flour varieties and some vegetables have started climbing up after Ramazan.

Wholesalers are charging Rs32 per kg for mash pulse as against Rs25 per kg fixed by the city government while the rate of masur has been claimed at Rs42 as against Rs34 per kg in Ramazan. Price of mung has been surged to Rs30 from Rs24 per kg.

Gram pulse wholesale rate has been enhanced to Rs30 from Rs24 per kg while arhar rate has been tagged at Rs35 from Rs34 per kg.

Similarly, the impact of increase in wholesale rate has filtered down at the retail level. Mash, which was selling at Rs27, is now tagged at Rs35 per kg while mung is now available at Rs34 per kg as compared to Rs26 per kg. Masur is selling at Rs45 as against Rs36 per kg while gram pulse rate is being quoted at Rs32 as compared to Rs26 per kg. No change in retail price of arhar has been witnessed at Rs36 per kg.

The 10 kg bag of Ashrafi atta is now being retailed at Rs165 as against Rs150 in Ramazan while fine atta is selling at Rs18 per kg as compared to Rs15-16 per kg. The rate of atta No.2.5 has been increased to Rs17 per kg from Rs12.50 in the holy month.

Wholesalers of pulses had already forecast the increase in pulses rate after Ramazan in view of rising international prices. According to wholesalers, the city government had backed out from its undertaking on the rates. Wholesalers said that the city government had fixed the rate of pulses by Rs2-4 per kg on the "lower" side as compared to prevailing rate in the month of Ramazan.

In vegetables, the rate of potato has recorded a jump of Rsfour per kg to Rs16 per kg from Rs12 per kg in Ramazan. While potato, arriving from new crop, is being sold at over Rs20 per kg.

Onion rates have also been raised to Rs12 per kg from Rs10 per kg. Tomato price, which reached the peak of Rs100 per kg a few days ahead of Eid, has declined to Rs40 per kg, but its price is still higher if compared with Rs11 per kg on November 1, 2004.

Retailers, shopkeepers and wholesalers now enjoy a free hand in charging prices as the city government's price checking campaign has ended after Ramazan. This year the campaign remained a bit ineffective, which was evident from the fact that it recovered Rs1,323,700 as fines from the profiteers as compared to Rs2,500,000 last year.

The exercise remained half-hearted this year as only seven deputy district officers (DDO) revenue out of 18 qualify for the job and the rest did not hold six months experience as magistrate and LLB degree.

This year 1,102 fruit vendors were challaned against 2,146 challaned last year. Others include 353 vegetable dealers, 204 butchers, 226 milk sellers, 23 nimko sellers and 238 kiryana items shopkeepers.

A total of 203 persons were sent behind the bars while 81 persons had been issued warnings.