Acute shortage of fruits, vegetables during Ramazan in Pakistan
6 Sep 2008, 1337 Hrs

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Lahore, Sept 6 (ANI): People observing Ramazan fasts in Pakistan are facing an acute shortage of fruits and vegetables and inadequate supply of wheat flour. In Lahore it seems as if onions have been non-existent at the Ramazan bazaars, and potatoes and tomatoes being available at rates higher than those approved by the government.

While bananas are not available, grapes are available only at Rs 190 per kg, reported the Daily Times.

Wheat flour is available at the Shadman, Model Town and Islampura Ramazan bazaars, but people have to wait for several hours at the Shalimar, Gulshan-e-Ravi, Johar Town and Shahdra Ramazan bazaars to get their share.

The shopkeepers said that even the wholesalers were not selling the commodities at the government approved rates. They urged the government to pay attention to the wholesalers instead of the Ramazan bazaars, as they were not able to provide the commodities at cheaper rates due to the high wholesale rates.

They claimed that if they sold the commodities at the government approved rates than they would face heavy losses, as they also have to pay for transportation from the wholesale market to the Ramazan bazaars.

If the government did not start paying attention to the wholesale markets, than as the holy month progresses the shortage of necessary commodities would only rise, the paper quoted the shopkeepers as saying. (ANI)