Tomato prices have skyrocketed to unprecedented figures over the past several weeks in Pakistan while large quantities of the fruit imported from Afghanistan and Iran have failed to keep its price in check.
Tomatoes are usually sold at a rate of Rs 30 to 40 per kg on normal days. However, the ongoing market rate is soaring high in the range of Rs 120 to 170, depending on quality, in spite of official rates being set between Rs 108 and 114 per kg on Sunday.
Most vegetable sellers in the Shadman Sunday bazaar commented that they did not bring tomatoes to the market because the officially-fixed rates were even lower than the wholesale rates.
“I cannot sell tomatoes at a price lower than cost. Good quality tomatoes cost between Rs 20 and 30 per kg in the wholesale market. How can I sell them at the government-fixed price of Rs 114?” vegetable vendor Muhammad Ramzan questioned.
Another vendor blamed the government for not controlling rising tomato prices after Eidul Azha and for banning import from India when the local crop was not yet ready. He said that the vendors were completely blameless in this regard.
Meanwhile, citizens face difficulties due to the rise in prices of tomatoes. “No one would ever have imagined that tomatoes could be costlier than chicken. I purchase chicken and put yoghurt in it instead of tomatoes.”
1 RS = 0.0152966 USD
Source: pakistantoday.com.pk