On Sunday, as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began, people in Pakistan are bracing themselves for a hike in essential commodities, including food items, reported The Express Tribune.
Pakistan already registers a two to three-fold inflation in the prices of essential kitchen items, including ghee, vegetables, meat, eggs, sugar, edible oil, and pulses, according to the report.
The rise in prices has been substantially increased across the country after corrupt traders make quick money, adding to the economic sufferings of low-to-middle-income customers.
The costs tend to increase during the holy month of Ramadan. In recent months, there has been a general surge of 31.5 per cent. Many food items witnessed up to a 60 per cent increase in their rates from their pre-festival levels.
For example, the price of onions has swelled from Pakistani currency (PKR) 150 per kg to as much as PKR 300, with some retailers offering a slight relief at PKR 250 per kg, reported The Express Tribune.
Absence of an effective price monitoring system
In the absence of an effective price monitoring system, fruit and vegetable prices have surged. Other important items have witnessed similar price hikes.
Important vegetables like potatoes, now cost PKR 80 per kg up from PKR 50 earlier. Likewise, capsicum has doubled in price to PKR 400 per kg.
In addition to the vegetable price hike, the costs of various fruits have seen an increase as well. The price of bananas has increased from PKR 80 to PKR 120 per dozen.
For PKR 200-250 per kg, green apples are being sold. The previous rate was PKR 150. The rates of melons (another Ramazan favorite) have shot up to PKR 150-200 per kg against PKR 100-120.