As Pakistan enters the auspicious month of Ramadan, families are confronted with a significant rise in food prices, imposing a severe financial burden and causing them considerable hardship.
On the onset of Ramadan, consumers were hit hard by a dramatic surge in prices of essential kitchen staples, with capsicum, onions, bananas, and veal witnessing significant increases. The cost of capsicum soared to over Rs600/kg in Karachi, more than triple its previous price. Despite government measures such as halting onion and banana exports, prices continued to rise, with onions reaching Rs250-300/kg and bananas going up to Rs200/dozen or more.
Similarly, the price of veal rose by Rs200-300/kg to Rs1,400-1,500/kg. Other food items like melon, watermelon, apple, cabbage, carrot, potato, tomatoes, gram flour, brown chickpea, white chickpea, and mutton also experienced notable hikes.
Waheed Ahmed, Patron-in-Chief of the All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers, and Merchants Association (PFVA), expressed optimism about a potential drop in onion prices in the coming days due to the arrival of a new crop from Balochistan in April. However, he doubted the effectiveness of the temporary ban on banana exports, citing minimal exports to Afghanistan and Iran.
Ahmed highlighted a longstanding trend of food price spikes at the start of Ramadan, followed by gradual normalization within the first week of the holy month. He predicted a similar pattern this year, with prices expected to stabilize next week.
Concerns were raised about Pakistan’s transition from a net exporter to a net importer of food items, exacerbating food insecurity. Ahmed stressed the importance of prioritizing agriculture and investing in research and development to address climate change challenges and boost production.
He emphasized the potential of agriculture to create employment opportunities and increase foreign exchange reserves through surplus production and exports. However, he lamented the lack of focus on agriculture by successive governments over the past three decades, leading to reduced production amidst a growing population.
