The prices of wheat and rice flours and pulses have sharply increased between 20% and 30% due to short supply in entire Larkana district due to countrywide lockdown.
It was revealed during a survey conducted by this scribe on Tuesday. Shopkeepers in Larkana and adjoining towns and villages were selling Mong top quality pulse at Rs 280 per kg, 2nd quality at Rs 260 and 3rd quality at Rs 200 per kg which were sold previously at Rs 250, Rs 220 and Rs 170 per kg respectively. Gram pulse is being sold at Rs 180 per kg which was 140 per kg previously before lockdown. Vetch pulse is sold at Rs 140 per kg which was sold before closure of markets at Rs 120. Mash pulse is being sold now at Rs 280 per kg which was previously sold at Rs 240 per kg. Likewise chick pea pulse was sold previously at Rs 120 per kg but the same is being sold now at Rs Rs 260 per kg due to short supply from the wholesale market. These prices have hit hard those people who are daily waging masons and labourers as they are unable to earn livelihood
Likewise, wheat flour was previously sold at Rs 1900 per 40 kg bag which is now sold at Rs 2200 per bag. In this way rice flour which previously was sold for Rs 2100 per 43 kg bag is now being sold between Rs 2300 to 2400 per bag. In this way wheat flour is being sold on retail basis between Rs 55 to 60 per kg depending on quality. Three qualities of rice flour were sold on retail basis at Rs 50, 55 and 60 per kg depending on quality.
Naundero shopkeepers Jai Kumar, Asghar Katpar and Seth Ram and Larkana trader Ashok Kumar told this Scribe that pulses, oil, sugar, wheat and rice flour, eggs etc are in short supply due to unavailability of goods transport and their rates have also increased. They said eggs were sold before at Rs 100 per dozen which are being sold between Rs 120 to 130 by the retailers. They said even other general store items are in short supply like shampoos, creams and conditioners due to closure of wholesale market in Larkana. Red Chilies are not available in Naundero and were being sold at 450 per kg in Ratodero and Larkana. They said 50 kg sugar bag was sold before lockdown between Rs 3700 to 3800 which has shot up to between Rs 4000 to 4100. They said previously they were selling sugar at Rs 80 per kg now it is being sold at Rs 85 per kg. They said that they are being pressurized regularly by district and tehsil administration to sale the items of daily use on government rate list but the same authorities have not ensured to supply us these goods at government rates. They said they will sale items on cheaper rates provided government also ensures supply on cheaper prices.
When former president of Larkana Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI), Abdul Ghaffar Shaikh, was contacted, he said that wholesale market in Jelus Bazaar and Anaj Mandi are only allowed to be opened just for three hours in a day now. He said 30 minutes are consumed in opening and closing the shop which means wholesale market is opened to do business just for two and half hours per day during which shopkeepers who arrive from far flung areas cannot buy items of their necessity and requirement. He said transport is not allowed inside the market by police hence shifting the goods to their buyers’ villages is another core issue which should be addressed to ensure proper supply as per demand. He said heavy transport has been allowed on highways but unloading goods also take time at the relevant godowns which are then supplied to the market. Shaikh said these are the issues faced by the trading community here which need to be resolved quickly to restore proper supply of food items of daily use in towns and villages to stabilize the prices and ensure availability of goods.
He said Sindh government has allowed sale of fertilizers and pesticides through a notification but the same is not being allowed by the police on the pretext of lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus which also has multiplied the issues for the farmers and growers community including traders as fresh crops are being sown.
The poverty-stricken citizens of Larkana have demanded of the concerned higher government authorities to look into the price-hike problems and ensure safe trade so that they could be able to live comfortably during stay safe stay at home period.
