Latest news with #CentralGroceryMerchantsAssociation
Express Tribune
24-02-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Ramazan bazaar plans hit roadblock
The district administration's negotiations with the traders and the Grocery Merchants Association regarding setting up affordable Ramazan bazaars have 'failed', with the latter refusing to set up special stalls for selling sugar at government rates. According to the association, the district administration and district market committees should set up affordable Ramazan bazaars and sugar mills to sell sugar at the stalls. Following the failure of these negotiations, the government has decided that larger cities, where model bazaars have been established, will now host Ramazan bazaars, while smaller cities without model bazaars will set up facilitation bazaars. However, with only six days remaining until the start of Ramazan, no preparations have been made so far. Rizwan Shaukat, the general secretary of the Central Grocery Merchants Association and Suleman Pervez Butt, its patron, are of the view that setting up affordable Ramazan bazaars is not the responsibility of the traders as it's the duty of the district market committee. Sugar mills and sugar dealers should sell 'subsidised' sugar at [government] stalls, he says and adds traders will focus on their own business during Ramazan. On the other hand, the government has instructed that in model and facilitation bazaars, all stalls will be allocated to wholesale dealers who will sell grocery items and Sehri items at wholesale rates. Negotiations are currently underway between the district administration and wholesale dealers, and their reactions have been mixed. Due to the district administration's poor policies, there will be no subsidised Sehri items available for the public this year. The administration has only decided to increase the number of price magistrates. All tehsildars, deputy tehsildars, revenue officers, and senior patwaris will be given the temporary title of price control magistrates for 30 days, effective from the 1st to the 30th of Ramazan. In Rawalpindi, where Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday bazaars are typically held, daily bazaars will now be allowed from the 1st to the 29th of Ramazan. These bazaars will be set up at Committee Chowk, Allama Iqbal Park Area, Haidri Chowk, Dhoke Hassu, Naya Katariyan, Gulzar Quaid, Morgah, Adiala Road, Chakri Road, Chungi 22, and Chohar Chowk.
Express Tribune
28-01-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Soaring prices push citizens to the brink
RAWALPINDI: Households across Pakistan continue to grapple with a staggering 30-40 per cent hike in the prices of essential commodities. Despite government interventions, inflation relentlessly impacted every aspect of daily life, leaving citizens reeling. Efforts to stabilise prices failed, with manufacturers adopting subtle tactics like reducing the quantity in packaged goods without lowering costs. For instance, a 1-kilogramme pack of tea now weighs 900 grams, while sacks of flour and other staple goods have similarly shrunk in weight. Yet, prices remain unaffected, if not higher, exposing consumers to an ongoing squeeze. A snapshot of last year's price escalation reveals the grim reality. Rice, which sold for Rs280 per kilogramme in January 2024, now costs Rs380. Ghee has jumped from Rs450 to Rs550, while cooking oil climbed from Rs500 to Rs560. Pulses like Black Lentils saw a meteoric rise from Rs350 to Rs560 per kilogramme. Similarly, milk prices inched up from Rs200 to Rs220 per litre, and spices now cost Rs500 per kilogramme, up from Rs350 at the year's start. Other items have followed the same trend. Ginger, garlic, bakery goods, and even roti and naan have seen price hikes that disproportionately affect consumers. A cup of tea, which was Rs50 last December, now costs Rs80, while naan prices rose from Rs25 to Rs30. Tandoor (oven) operators cite increased flour costs and subsidy cuts for the shrinking size of red flour bread, forcing labourers to double their purchase just to meet their basic dietary needs. The situation has been exacerbated by spiralling fuel costs, with petrol and diesel prices directly impacting transportation and supply chain expenses. Central Grocery Merchants Association President Saleem Pervaiz Butt attributed the inflation to a combination of rising fuel prices, government taxation, and a weakening rupee. He warned that the trend shows no signs of abating. Efforts like the Punjab government's "Sasta Sahulat Bazaars" have also failed to provide relief, with 16 markets and 24 subsidised cart bazaars shutting down due to mismanagement and soaring costs. Even official price lists issued by the District Market Committee (DPC) have become unreliable, with open-market rates often exceeding them by Rs40 to Rs100. With no immediate solutions in sight, the relentless rise in living costs paints a bleak picture for the coming year, particularly for low-income groups who bear the brunt of inflation's crushing weight. The crisis extends beyond food. Livestock prices have surged dramatically, with buffaloes now costing Rs0.8 million to Rs1 milliona steep increase from last year's Rs0.5 million to Rs0.6 million range. This rise is attributed to a 300 per cent hike in fodder costs, as per Chaudhry Khurram, Vice President of the Cattle Union. Shafiq Qureshi, President of the Nanbai Association, highlighted that flour prices continue to climb monthly, predicting even higher rates in 2025. The cost of a 50-kilogram sack of flour has already risen from Rs6,900 to Rs9,000 this year alone.
