In response to rising tomato prices in Punjab, the Price Control Department has directed all market committee secretaries to hold emergency meetings with commission agents to increase supply. District administrations and market committees have also been ordered to conduct joint monitoring, with instructions to act against hoarding and profiteering.
According to the department, the directives were based on recommendations from the flood emergency supply chain management cell. Limited supply from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Afghanistan has been identified as the main reason behind the surge in tomato prices.
The Punjab Price Control spokesperson confirmed that all market committee secretaries have been instructed to arrange emergency meetings with commission agents. Authorities are to ensure the timely clearance of tomato trucks arriving from Afghanistan through the Torkham and Chaman borders. Market committee secretaries are also required to submit daily reports on supply and price conditions to the Punjab Agricultural Marketing Regulatory Authority (PAMRA) headquarters, where a monitoring cell has been established.
Suppliers and transporters have been asked to remain in close contact with authorities to avoid delivery delays. The measures are intended to stabilize tomato supply and pricing in the province's markets.
Meanwhile, the Price Control Department reported that a province-wide crackdown against profiteering is underway. During the past 24 hours, inspections were carried out at 522,293 locations across Punjab. According to the spokesperson, 12,119 profiteers were fined, 106 individuals arrested, and legal cases registered against 7.
While most enforcement focused on flour, meat, chicken, sugar, and roti pricing, 1,023 individuals linked to chicken and meat sales were fined, and 19 were arrested. In the category of flour, 1,599 people were fined, and 20 were taken into custody. The government stated that its zero-tolerance policy against profiteering and hoarding is being strictly implemented to ensure essential goods are sold at the official rates.
Source: Business Recorder