Consumers complain of exorbitant date prices in Ramadan

Srinagar, March 28: Shopkeepers and roadside vendors are selling dates at exorbitant prices as its demand increases in the month of Ramadan while there are no checks on the erring shopkeepers.
Across the globe, dates are consumed by people at the time of Iftaar. In Kashmir, dates are available at all the grocery stores and shops however the rates are up.
Over the past one week, the shopkeepers have resorted to selling dates at higher prices suddenly due to the huge demand these days in the markets.
Irshad Ahmad, a customer from Srinagar who visited Jehangeer Chowk to buy dates said the rates of dates have almost doubled in comparison with the previous Ramadan.
“Last year one small packet of dates was sold at Rs 50 however today its rate is Rs 80 to 90. When the rate is so high then I think no one will buy dates,” he said.
The dates in the markets in several parts of Srinagar and other district headquarters and towns of Kashmir are sold at exorbitant prices.
Shafat Ahmad, a resident of Tangmarg said the rates of dates are up every year and there should be a specific rate for every variety of dates and the rate list should be issued by the concerned department after proper checking and verification of rates across markets.
“There should be such a mechanism that no shopkeepers could increase the rates. The rates should be the same across all districts in Kashmir,” he said.
Many varieties of dates are imported to Jammu and Kashmir especially to the valley from countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Algeria, Qatar etc. with consumers suggesting that the J & K Government should constitute a committee to fix the rates.
“Since the demand for dates increases in Ramadan every year. There should be proper checks that the rates do not increase every year,” he said.
The rates of dates vary from Rs 150 to Rs 1500 per kg. The Ajwa dates are sold at Rs 1250/kg, Mabroom Rs 1000/kg, Kalmi Rs 650/kg, Sudayi Rs 700/kg, Sukhri Rs 700/kg.
Consumers also complained that the uncovered dates and foods including chicken, fish and meat are sold under unhygienic and dirty conditions in Srinagar markets.
Director Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department Kashmir, Abdul Salam Mir told Rising Kashmir that they are continuously checking the markets and holding drives.
“Our enforcement teams are working. Where-ever we receive complaints we take action. We are intensifying the market’s checking. The inspections would continue. Those violating norms will be dealt with strictly. We will check whether the dates are sold at genuine prices or not,” he said.
The director FCS&CA said the department has constituted four market-checking teams in Srinagar city and other parts of the valley to check the food pricing.