Pakistan: Food inflation surges in Punjab province as price control fails to deliver

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 3 (ANI): Rising food prices across Pakistan's Punjab province have sparked widespread public frustration, with consumers consistently forced to pay well above the officially fixed rates for everyday essentials, The Express Tribune reported.
According to The Express Tribune, despite the establishment of new price monitoring units, enforcement has proven largely ineffective, casting serious doubts over the Pakistan government's ability to control inflation.
In recent days, the prices of essential vegetables and poultry products have remained well above government-sanctioned levels. Not a single vegetable was found selling below Rs 200 per kilogram in many local markets, highlighting a glaring disconnect between official rates and market realities, The Express Tribune reported.
The continued disregard for price lists not only reflects regulatory failure but also raises concerns about the efficiency of the newly established departments, which critics say are increasing bureaucratic costs without producing results.
According to The Express Tribune, in the poultry markets, the mismatch was particularly evident, with consumers reportedly paying between PKR 460 and PKR 480 for live chicken despite the official price being lowered by PKR 15 to PKR 374 to PKR 388 per kilogram.
Similarly, chicken meat was officially set at PKR 562 per kilogram but was sold at PKR 570-640, while boneless chicken fetched as much as PKR 1,200 per kilogram.
Vegetable prices were also far from the official figures. Premium potatoes, officially priced at PKR 80 to 85 per kilogram, were being sold for PKR 140-150. A-grade onions were listed at PKR 50-55 per kilogram but reached up to PKR 100 in the market. Tomatoes, fixed at PKR 82-90, were sold for as much as PKR 150, The Express Tribune reported.
Garlic and ginger saw some of the worst price hikes. Garlic was selling for up to PKR 400 per kilogram, despite official rates of PKR 210 to PKR 260. Ginger prices climbed to PKR 600 to 700, compared to fixed rates of PKR 400 to PKR 460, The Express Tribune reported.
Other vegetables, including cucumber at PKR 200/kg, brinjal at PKR 150/kg, bitter gourd at PKR, 220/kg and ladyfinger at PKR 240/kg, were also priced significantly higher than official rates.
Fruit prices followed the same trend with apples, officially listed at PKR 145 to PKR 265 per kilogram, being sold for up to PKR 350, while bananas were priced PKR 50 to PKR 90 higher than official rates depending on quality, The Express Tribune reported.
Even commonly consumed fruits like sweet melon, dates, and peaches became out of reach for middle-income households. Dates, for example, were officially priced at PKR 460 to PKR 490 per kilogram but were being sold for up to PKR 2,000.
Despite widespread overcharging, newly established market inspection teams and price monitoring departments have been unable to enforce pricing regulations. Critics say these initiatives lack both the authority and the political resolve to hold violators accountable.
As food inflation continues to squeeze household budgets--particularly for lower- and middle-income groups--public confidence in the government's economic policies and regulatory mechanisms is steadily declining, The Express Tribune reported. (ANI)