Murad takes notice of skyrocketing price of tomatoes

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday took serious note of sky-rocketing prices of tomatoes, onions and others vegetables and directed agriculture department to intervene by reducing the role of middlemen and control the prices.

In a statement, the chief minister expressed concern that the price of tomatoes has reached to Rs250 per kg and is beyond the approach of poor people.

“I feel it is an artificial price hike created by hoarders,” he said.

CM Sindh directed Minister for Agriculture Sohail Anwar Siyal to personally inquire into the matter and intervene in the vegetable market to reduce role of middlemen  who have played havoc with the prices and are minting money.

ALSO READ: Social media activists launch tomato boycott campaign as its price skyrockets

He said that Thatta and Sujawal districts produce early tomato crops, therefore necessary arrangements should be made to bring tomatoes from there to the markets in Karachi.

“It seems as if the middlemen have also purchased the tomato crop in Thatta and Sujawal districts but this must be stopped,” he said.

CM Sindh also urged the agriculture department to take necessary measures to regulate the price of others vegetables which are the only source of food for poor people.

He said that commissioners, deputy commissioners and market committees must play their roles to control artificial price hike.

He ordered the arrest of hoarders and those who have created artificial price hike of tomatoes and vegetables.