Ramadan Price hike: Pakistan

Fig. Vegetables and fruits Ramdan Pakistan

As we know people are frustrated during the Covid-19 recession. In Pakistan the hoarders are active with their whole mafia to capture the tensed situation and to make money from it. The governments with its prolonged schemes and committees under which self-esteemed bureaucrats are giving their services to the nation have failed miserably in controlling the prices.
 All essential items including meat, ghee, cooking oil, flour, onion, chicken, and fruits have seen a significant increase in prices. Amongst fruits, lemon is being sold at the rate of RS 2200 PER 5kg weight, however, the price of apple has been raised from Rs 190 to Rs 260 per Kg. Amongst Vegetables, potatoes and onions now cost Rs 300 per 5 Kg weight. This means they are now being sold at Rs 60 per Kg. There was no respite in chicken rates as well as some dealers have begun charging as high as Rs 165 per kg for Alive chicken. Previously it was sold at Rs 135 per kg. However, the cleaned chicken meat will now cost Rs 260 per kilo. Beef with bones cost Rs 500, while, Beef without bones cost Rs 650 per kilogram.

[Taken from http://www.bolnews.com/pakistan/2020/04/ramadan-the-prices-of-eatables-hiked-on-friday-in-karachi/ ].

In past this mafia tends to take the position regarding the hike in prices was of transportation, shortage of supply, the spread of disease and hike in petroleum prices, etc. What I want to focus on the point is these all lame excuses didn’t exist during this time.

1- There is no shortage of supply? How it can be possible that there is a supply shortage always in Ramadan. The simple rule of supply and demand tells us that if there is some sort of increase in demand then you should be prepared for it. Now the question arises why these preparation are not done during the whole year? The answer is SimpleThese preparations are not done intentionally. So that when there is an increase in demand, the price will automatically rise. The mafia is present on both sides either in the government or on the supplier’s side. So both of them are blamed for this situation and the life of the poor is always at stake. It looks like that the preparation done by government officials has been on advertising their measures rather than the practical measures.

2- There were no transportation issues at all, of transporting the goods in various parts of the country. The food supply chain was not abandoned even for a second in all these Covid-19 days. So this point goes out of the question.

3- Now comes the petroleum prices point. So during this year, the petrol prices are the lowest in the past 5 -6 years or more in the world, and in Pakistan, the petrol price is Rs.81.58 per liter and diesel Rs.80.10 per liter. So the point they always present ruled out during this year.

So why these prices are at hike during this year? The answer is that the system and the government officials who must control these prices are the partners in crime because they are not performing their duties and it also reminds us that the mafia has a very powerful network on all sides. The PMIK government officials are not indulging themselves even in commenting on it. The end is all the stuff will be handed over to some sort of committee and the result will be zero. This will be controlled when the government will take practical measures in controlling them by framing certain laws and amendments on it. The problem is the sluggish system not the faces!!!