The supply of vegetables has been affected because of heavy monsoon rains and floods which has led to price-hike in Peshawar’s markets.
According to vegetables dealers, Peshawar is no more a vegetables growing area because of the housing boom, as a result, the city is dependent on other area for fresh vegetables. At the moment it is off-season in Swat and Charsadda, which means delivery from these districts were already suspended.
From Swat vegetables like tinda, potato, tomatoes, garlic, onion and some other vegetables decorat Peshawar’s markers. Similarly, some vegetables are also being transported from Sadiqabad, Rahim Yar Khan and Hyderabad, while pumpkin, okra, zucchini, potato and onion come from Sindh. The city also receive vegetables, especially onions and Iranian tomatoes, from Balochistan. Peshawar markets are also dependent on vegetables from Muzaffargarh, Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan and Kasur. Besides this, vegetables are also imported from Afghanistan.
But because of floods in Balochistan, KP’s Southern districts and Sindh, vegetables supply have been hampered. As a result, prices of Potatoes, onions, tomatoes, green chillies, okra, zucchini, tinda, turnips, lemons, brinjals, bitter gourds, garlic, ginger, spinach, pumpkins, cauliflower and cabbage have increased manifold.
According to market sources, prices of all these vegetables have increased by Rs20 to Rs40 as compared to normal days. According to the transporters, many roads have been closed due to floods, due to which transportation of vegetables, fruits and other food items from other provinces to KP has been hampered.
