In absence of any mechanism to keep a check on the prices of vegetables by the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Department, people are at a mercy of vendors, who are charging at will.
The CAPD authorities in Kashmir valley have miserably failed to check an unprecedented rise in the prices of essential commodities with the onset of summer. Locals say the traders and shopkeepers are looting the consumers in the name of price rise as authorities have failed to keep check on the market prices and illegal profiteering. The prices of fruits and vegetables are skyrocketing as the shopkeepers charge whatever they want. The consumers hold the district administration responsible for its failure to control the prices.
They allege the traders are selling commodities on rates higher than those prescribed on rate lists by CAPD. As against the state administrations retail price of mutton at Rs 360 per kg, it’s sold at Rs 400 or Rs 500 while poultry is sold at 150 against prescribed rate of 105. Consumers said other essential commodities are sold at inflated prices. “The government has confined itself to issuing the rate lists. Later they don’t monitor whether the given rates are followed in the market,” says Ishtiyaq Ahmad, a local. Others seconded his views, saying that not only mutton and poultry, vegetables and fruits are also sold on higher rates Locals allege CAPD of not checking the market for identifying illegal profiteering and alleged then of being hand in glove with the traders. They demanded that authorities should carve out an effective system for controlling the prices and discouraging the traders and shopkeepers from fleecing the consumers in the district.
Vegetable and fruit prices vary from one market to another. There should be a check on retailers who are increasing the prices as per the market demand, but the CAPD has failed in its duty to keep a check on them. Same is the situation with fruits as their prices are also not stable and change on a daily basis.
Though CAPD issued price lists of essential commodities and got these published in local newspapers and put in place checking squads, official price lists were observed more in breach. In absence of any mechanism to keep a check on the prices of vegetables by the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Department, people are at a mercy of vendors, who are charging at will. Vegetable and fruit prices vary from one market to another. There should be a check on retailers who are increasing the prices as per the market demand, but the CAPD has failed in its duty to keep a check on them. Same is the situation with fruits as their prices are also not stable and change on a daily basis.
Fruits have already become a luxury for the middle class who have stopped the use of several fruits and vegetables in their daily consumption. Buying packed fruit juices appears to be a better option. Fruit and vegetable markets here are probably the only markets in the entire India which aren’t at all following the practice of rate lists giving a cue to the people about the prevailing rates with a result that those associate in the trade are earning two to three hundred per cent margin.
Fruit and vegetable markets here are probably the only markets in the entire India which aren’t at all following the practice of rate lists giving a cue to the people about the prevailing rates with a result that those associate in the trade are earning two to three hundred per cent margin.
