LAHORE - The city district government failed to provide chicken for Rs 200 per kg at Sunday and Ramadan bazaars as the vendors refused to sell chicken at the government-announced rate, Pakistan Today learned on Sunday. The district government has fixed chicken meat price at Rs 200 per kg and live chicken at Rs 138 per kg. Although a few vendors did have a limited stock of chicken at the said rate to please the district government officials, in most government-established Sunday and Ramadan bazaars chicken was not available.
The vendors refused to sell the chicken at the government rate saying it was not viable for them. They said it was absurd that the government was asking the retailers to control prices instead of checking the chicken farmers and asking them to reduce prices. Resultantly, the chicken stalls remained deserted and the buyers had to buy it from open market at around Rs 220 per kg. “I purchased only 20 pieces of chicken, as it is not affordable for me to sell chicken at Rs 200 per kg,” said Saeed Ansar at Township Ramadan bazaar, adding he had pressure from the administration therefore he had to establish stall despite loss.
Another chicken seller Ishaq Akram said the city district government was forcing retailers to sell chicken at lower rates instead of asking the chicken growers to reduce prices. “We have a very low margin of Rs 5-10 per kg and the government is asking us to give it up in favour of influential poultry farm owners in Punjab,” he said. The afternoon rain also disturbed the bazaars and the customers had to cut-short their shopping. Exploitation by vegetable sellers also remained high as they sold stored potatoes at the rate of new ones and the administration stayed silent over it.
The new potatoes cost Rs 34 per kg while the old ones were for Rs 18 per kg, whereas, sugar-free potatoes were sold for Rs 24 per kg. “The sellers sold stored potatoes at the rate of new potatoes and sugar-free potatoes and the management of Sunday bazaars, despite knowing, took no action,” said a customer Javed Asghar at Johar Town Sunday bazaar. He said it was the administration’s duty to check the vendors but no city district government official was doing so. Meanwhile, the prices of vegetables and fruits remained stable in the bazaars.
Onions were sold for Rs 20 per kg, ginger for Rs 100 per kg and garlic for Rs 90 per kilogram.