LAHORE: Torrential rains and flooding across Punjab have disrupted the movement of food supplies into Lahore, triggering severe shortages in wholesale markets and driving sharp increases in the prices of poultry, vegetables, and fruit.
Traders said truckloads of perishable goods could not reach the city due to submerged and damaged roads, leaving wholesale markets undersupplied. The shortage has not only reduced the availability of fresh produce but also lowered quality, as many consignments arrived damaged or in smaller quantities.
With limited government monitoring, retailers charged well above the official price lists, intensifying frustration among households already struggling with the rising cost of living.
Poultry was among the hardest-hit items. Live chicken, officially capped between Rs 397 and Rs 411 per kilogram, was sold for Rs 500 to Rs 530. Chicken meat, fixed at Rs 595 per kilogram, retailed between Rs 650 and Rs 750, while boneless chicken fetched up to Rs 1,200 compared with the notified Rs 1,100.
Vegetables saw widespread increases. Soft-skinned potatoes were listed at Rs 85 to Rs 90 but sold at Rs 150, while lower-grade potatoes set at Rs 55 to Rs 75 reached Rs 125 to Rs 130. Onions, officially priced at Rs 65 to Rs 70, cost consumers Rs 100 to Rs 120.
Tomatoes, fixed at Rs 110 to Rs 120, were sold between Rs 180 and Rs 200. Garlic, priced at Rs 205 to Rs 215, rose to Rs 300, while the Harani variety, officially Rs 282 to Rs 295, retailed at Rs 400. Ginger, listed at Rs 395 to Rs 465, fetched as much as Rs 700.
Other staples, including bitter gourd, brinjal, zucchini, luffa, capsicum, cauliflower, pumpkin, and ladyfinger, recorded increases of Rs 20 to Rs 40 per kilogram beyond official rates. Only spinach and Chinese carrots showed slight reductions, though even these were sold above fixed prices.
Fruit markets reflected similar disparities. Mangoes rose by Rs 50 per kilogram, selling for Rs 200 to Rs 450 against the official Rs 210 to Rs 310 range. Sundarkhani grapes, listed at Rs 440 to Rs 460, retailed at Rs 500 to Rs 600. Dates, officially capped at Rs 470 to Rs 500, cost between Rs 900 and Rs 2,000 depending on quality. Persimmons nearly doubled, retailing at Rs 300 to Rs 350 compared with a fixed rate of Rs 168 to Rs 175. Apples, bananas, guavas, peaches, and plums remained unchanged on official lists but were also sold at higher prices.
Shoppers expressed anger at the unchecked profiteering. “The price control teams are nowhere to be seen,” said Ali Ahmad, a consumer at Shadman Market. “Every vendor is charging what he wants, and there is no one to stop them.”
Market observers noted that a combination of natural disruption and weak enforcement has left consumers vulnerable. With floodwaters still obstructing transport and more rains forecast, traders warned that supply chain disruptions could persist for weeks.
Economists cautioned that prolonged shortages of fresh produce would deepen inflationary pressures already weighing heavily on urban households.
