Amid Ramadhan, the Jammu Kashmir administration has woken up to the exorbitant food prices in the region and issued a rate list of vegetables and fruits.
Department of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs has fixed rates for vegetables and fruits to avoid overcharging. Officials of the department said that strict action would be initiated against the violators of the rate list issued by the Jammu Kashmir admin.
“Raids will be conducted in markets throughout the month of Ramadan and anyone found violating the rate list will be booked under law,” an official of CAPD told The Kashmiriyat.
He said that during Ramadhan the shopkeepers charge extremely high rates, when the shopkeepers around the world offer discounts in this month. “Nevertheless,” he said, “we request the general public to call the officials of the Department if they find any shopkeeper selling good at even a single rupee higher than the rates fixed by the admin.”
In their rate list, which was accessed by The Kashmiriyat, the Department has fixed the price of vegetables as:
Red Potato (Punjabi): Rupees 17 per kilogram, Potato (white): 13 Rupees/ KG, Kashmiri spanich: 42/ KG, Punjabi Spanich: Rupees 24/ KG, Cauliflower: Rupees 25/ KG, Cabbage: Rupees 12/ KG, Onion (nasik): Rupees 24/ KG, Tomato: Rupees 36/ KG, Gujarat Onion: Rupees 22/ KG, Carrot (Punjabi): Rupees 20/ KG, Capsicum: Rupees 65/ KG, Radish (Shimla): Rupees 20/ KG, pumpkin (Punjabi): Rupees 35/ KG, Green chillies: Rupees 80/ KG, Garlic (Punjabi): Rupees 130/ KG, Lemon: Rupees 160/ KG, Cucumber: Rupees 25/ KG, Saag (Kawdari): Rupees 42/ KG, Saag (G.M Dar): Rupees 30/ KG, Meethi: Rupees 35/ KG, Saag (Waste haakh): Rupees 40/ KG, Eggplant/ Brinjal (Punjabi): Rupees 36/ KG, Lotus Stem (Dal Lake): Rupees 200/ 1.5 KGs, Lotus Stem (Achar): Rupees 180/ KG, Lotus Stem (Khala Kashmiri): Rupees 120/ KG, Red Radish: Rupees 40/ KG, Corrinader: Rupees 30/ KG, Green peas: Rupees 70/ KG.
The Department has also fixed the rate of fruits presently being sold at exorbitant rates across the Kashmir valley. The rates are as follows:
Banana (Grade 1), Rupees 130/ dozen, Banana (Grade 2): Rupees 90/ dozen, Kiwi: Rupees 24/ piece, Pineapple (King): 70/ piece, Pineapple (Queen): 100 per Kilogram, Pomegranates: 150/ Kilogram, Green grapes: 80/ KG, Red Grapes: 240/ KG, Black grapes: 100/ KG, Dragon fruit: 55/ Piece, Canary Melon: 70/ KG, Melon: 50/ KG, Grade one Oranges: 190/ dozen, Grade 2 oranges: 150/ dozen, Small oranges: 120/ Dozen, Papaya: 55/ KG, Mango (sapeedah): 120/ KG.