Following extensive strikes by trader associations and political sit-ins around the nation, the prices of fruits and vegetables have increased by as much as 150%.
Worse, things have gotten worse because of the latest road closures in Balochistan, especially in Gwadar. Transport of products has been severely disrupted for the last four days as a result of roadblocks caused by protests in Balochistan. Prices in Quetta have dramatically spiked by Rs100 to Rs150 per kilogramme as a result of cars transporting necessary supplies becoming stalled.
Exorbitant prices are being charged for fruits and vegetables that were formerly reasonably priced. In just a few days, the price of tomatoes went from Rs80 per kg to Rs140, while the price of okra, or bhindi, shot up from Rs150 per kg to Rs400.
Pease is now available for Rs. 100 to Rs. 250 per kg, while apples have also gone up by Rs. 100. In a similar vein, the price of a kilogramme of pumpkin has gone from Rs. 120 to Rs. 200.
While the goods transporters’ strike in Punjab has ended, retailers have been accused of exploiting the situation by arbitrarily raising the price of food items. Price increases of 20% have been reported for commodities including rice, beans, and masalas in the major grain market in south Punjab, among other places. Shop owners are alleged to have unfairly inflated prices even after the strike ended, severely taxing the incomes of the populace.
Perishable goods damage and escalating inflationary pressures are further consequences of the ongoing disruptions. People’s anger at the rising expense of living is becoming more and more evident, and they are urging the government to step in and stabilise food prices as well as solve supply chain problems.
The market price of pulses and rice has reportedly gone up by 20% so far as a result of the walkout, according to residents. The people are concerned about inflation on the one hand, while their cargo is being destroyed by the stopping of commodity vehicles on the other.
