Small vegetable vendors in Rawalpindi have stopped selling tomatoes, peas, ginger, and garlic as prices hit record highs, with tomatoes reaching Rs600 per kilogram in suburban areas amid ongoing supply shortages.
President of the Sabzi Mandi Traders Union, Ghulam Qadir, said, “The supply of tomatoes is low while demand is high, and tomatoes are no longer being imported from Afghanistan.” He added that prices will not come down until supply improves.
The shortage has been linked to tensions along the Pak-Afghan border, where clashes earlier this month disrupted imports before a 48-hour ceasefire was reached.
In local markets, tomatoes are priced between Rs450 and Rs500 per kilogram, garlic at Rs400, and ginger at Rs750. Peas are selling for Rs500 per kilogram, while onions cost Rs120.
Capsicum and okra are priced at Rs300 each, cucumbers at Rs150, carrots at Rs200, lemons at Rs300, and coriander, once given for free, now costs Rs50 per small bunch.
Fruit prices have also surged, apples sell for Rs250–350 per kilogram, grapes for Rs400–600, pomegranates for Rs400, guavas for Rs170, and coconuts for Rs400 each. Sweet oranges are priced between Rs250–300 per dozen, while bananas sell for Rs150–200 per dozen.
Trader Ghulam Mir noted that vegetables imported from India via Wagah are cheaper than those coming from Iran, adding that “import of white onions from Iran failed, as their taste was not up to customers’ standards.”
The rising prices have severely impacted consumers in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, especially in suburban areas. In response, Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema announced that he would personally monitor wholesale vegetable auctions starting Thursday.
The district administration has also empowered 30 price control magistrates and granted magisterial authority to officers from other departments to enforce fair pricing.