HYDERABAD, July 15: Prices of basic foodstuff have started going up ahead of Ramazan in the district of Hyderabad.

Wholesalers and retailers say prices of cooking oil, pulses and spices may rise the depreciation of rupee and increase the cost of imports. The items are imported in large quantities to make up for the shortfall in domestic production. Prices of various items vary in different areas of the district --- City, Latifabad and Qasimabad.

The wholesale price of Dal mash-1 is fixed at Rs80 per kg and retail at Rs88 but it is selling for Rs100 to Rs105 in Latifabad. Dal moong washed-1 is available for Rs98 in wholesale but Rs107 in retail, its price is between Rs110 and Rs115 per kg in Qasimabad. Dal masoor-1 (imported) is Rs68 and 72 in retail but it is selling at Rs75 to Rs82 per kg in Sarfaraz Colony. Masoor Sabit-1 is Rs57 at wholesale and Rs62 retail per kg but is prices range between Rs65 to Rs74 per kg in the city. Super Kernel-1 (new) rice’s wholesale rate is Rs97 and retail Rs106, but consumers are getting it at Rs110 to Rs112 per kg in Latifabad. Super kernel special-1 (new) is selling for Rs125 per kg against fixed retail price of Rs121.

President of the Hyderabad Kiryana Merchant Group Peer Mohammad claimed that retailers were generally selling these goods in accordance with the price list issued by the commissioner of Hyderabad and some of them were selling products even at less than the actual price because they were not aware of the price list.

He said that prices of fruits and vegetable rose almost on a daily basis and there was no one to regulate them.

President of the Grain and Seed Merchants Group Haroon Memon said wholesalers retained a small profit and disposed commodities at a low profit although they had godowns to store them.

He said: “If you compare the price of this year with last year’s prices you will find a sharp decline.” There are two reasons for that; there is a decline in commodity prices in international market and secondly, wholesalers avoid storing or hoarding goods because of extortion threat.

He said that there were many large godowns in violence-hit areas of Karachi including Lyari, Cheel Chowk, Haroonabad and also in Hub where wholesalers do not want to store goods and they dispatch them to retail markets across the province and ask truck drivers to take products to markets directly from ports. He alleged that retailers in the district were swindling buyers with different excuses and sell goods at a big profit margin. They do not display price lists for consumers.

He said the new list of prices finalised on July 2 after three meetings with additional deputy commissioner remain valid till the end of Ramazan.

Deputy Commissioner of Hyderabad Agha Shahnawaz Babar said he had received complaints from consumers against retailers and issued warnings to 283 retailers for overcharging.

He said he had received two complaints against wholesalers but a decision about action to be taken against wholesalers would be taken in the next meeting.

He admitted but said stern action would be taken against retailers if they don’t follow the list of prices issued by the government.