Global Rice News

Prices of essential food items have surged ahead of Eidul Azha in Punjab, much to the dismay of customers. Traders and the Rawalpindi district administration failed to come to an agreement on determining the prices of food and grocery items during Ramazanul Mubarak. Local traders threatened to close their businesses if the district administration attempted to enforce official prices during the holy month of Ramadan. The Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner, Hassan Waqar Cheema, refused to issue the price list according to retail prices, stating that the list issued by the district administration would be strictly enforced.

The meeting of the District Price Control Committee lasted for over two hours. Traders argued that as Rawalpindi is not a grain market and all grains are brought from the Sargodha grain market, shopkeepers in Rawalpindi should be allowed to earn a fair profit per kilogram after deducting transportation charges. Otherwise, they threatened to stage protests. The traders emphasized that shopkeepers in the Rawalpindi division should not be compelled to sell items like rice and pulses at the wholesale rates of the Sargodha grain market. However, the Deputy Commissioner argued that the Punjab government had decided to issue a price list based on the wholesale rates of Sargodha or Khushab markets.

It is anticipated that the new rates will be announced within the next 24 hours. Traders from all sectors will determine their next course of action during a joint meeting. On Friday, tensions escalated between the district administration and shopkeepers over the new prices of groceries, including milk and yogurt. Shopkeepers have warned that they will not sell rice, pulses, white chickpeas, or other commodities at the prices set by the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

Shopkeepers have suggested that the government take action against wholesalers for increasing the prices of commodities, rather than burdening retailers, including vegetable and fruit vendors, in the name of inflation. In the event of an FIR being filed against any shopkeeper during Ramadan, traders have threatened a complete shutter-down strike until Eidul Fitr.

Saleem Parvez Butt, the central president of the Grocery Merchants Association, chaired a meeting and expressed dissatisfaction with the situation. He stated that price magistrates have been instructed to register cases against shopkeepers and send them to jail. Butt emphasized that small shopkeepers are not responsible for inflation and suggested that it could be avoided if wholesale dealers decrease commodity prices. He added that ordinary shopkeepers sell pulses at lower prices than utility stores and proposed fixing prices based on the wholesale rate of the city grain market in each district, after deducting transportation costs.

The Mutton Beef Sellers Union and Gowala Union have also voiced opposition to the new prices. It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in the coming days.

Source: [The Express Tribune](https://tribune.com.pk)