THIS refers to the report ‘No respite for consumers despite good crops, rising imports of wheat, sugar’ (Sept 5), which highlighted an alarming rise in the prices of wheat and sugar despite their high production and import. It makes one wonder where the problem actually lies.

The problem is in the chain from the farm to the market to the retailer and right down to the consumer. It starts with the middleman, the arthi, an exploitative so-called investor who rolls his money with no tax liability.

Then there is the menace of hoarding. Such massive volumes cannot be hidden unless the whole chain, starting from arthis to the retailers, is involved in it. The government can depute trained and experienced commissioners for surveillance, and address the hoarding issue along with the money trail.

Sadly, professional integrity is fading away from the country, and it will be naive to expect people to voluntarily comply with fair trading practices in the absence of strict law and order.

The clergy and the pulpit must preach the importance of being fair in trading to inculcate the sense of honesty among people. Maybe it will help curb the rising prices.

Iqbal Bhaty
Karachi

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2021