PTI protest: vegetable prices skyrocket

ISLAMABAD: Due to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest and resulting road closures, prices of everyday commodities and vegetables have risen causing much inconvenience to the public.

Due to the blockades, vegetables and fruits are unable to reach the markets, leading to exploitation by profiteers.

In Sialkot, tomatoes have sky rocketed to Rs 700 per kg while Green chili is selling at Rs. 400 per kg, cauliflower at Rs. 300, potatoes at Rs. 220, and onions at Rs. 250 per kg. Other vegetables have seen price hikes of Rs. 100–150 per kg. Bananas are priced at Rs. 150 per dozen, while apples cost Rs. 400 per kg.

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In Gujrat, similar disruptions have caused tomatoes to jump from Rs. 150 to Rs. 400 per kg, potatoes from Rs. 120 to Rs. 200 per kg, ginger from Rs. 600 to Rs. 1000 per kg, and onions from Rs. 100 to Rs. 160 per kg. Cauliflower now costs Rs. 240 per kg, capsicum Rs. 400 per kg, turnips Rs. 100 per kg, and eggplants Rs. 100 per kg.

In Quetta, vegetable prices are also rising sharply due to the end of the harvesting season in cold areas of Balochistan. Tomatoes have surged from Rs. 100 to Rs. 180–200 per kg, onions from Rs. 80 to Rs. 140, green peas to Rs. 300, and okra to Rs. 250–300 per kg. Potatoes are selling at Rs. 100 per kg, while cabbage costs Rs. 150 per kg.

Dealers in Quetta have warned that the cold weather will keep vegetable prices high throughout the season.