MULTAN, June 8th:Taking advantage of announcement of the annual budget 2010-11, traders particularly hoarders/ wholesalers have increased the prices of kitchen items by 10 to 20 per cent in the open market after announcement of the revealed a survey conducted by this scribe in Multan on Tuesday. Prices of pulses have alarmingly increased by Rs10 to Rs25 per kilogram.In the wholesale market, ‘daal mash’ is being sold for Rs170 per kilogram against its pre-budget rate of Rs160, ‘daal moong’ is selling for Rs120 per kilogram against Rs100, ‘daal masoor’ Rs110 against Rs100, ‘daal sabut moong’ Rs125 against Rs100 per kilogram. Similarly, the price of sugar has also increased. A 50-kilogram bag of sugar is being sold for Rs2,980 against its previous price of Rs2,950 in the wholesale market. The price of red chillies has increased by Rs300 per 40 kilograms as it is selling for Rs6,800 against its pre-budget price of Rs6,500. ‘Haldi’ is being sold for Rs10,500 against Rs9,600 per 40 kilograms.A sharp increase has been registered in prices of all brands of milk powder. A one-kilogram pack of milk powder is now being sold for Rs425 against its previous price of Rs370 in the wholesale market.


The budget announcement also affected vegetable prices as ginger is being sold for Rs200 per kilogram against Rs160, ‘arvi’ Rs60 against Rs50, ‘phalian’ Rs60 against Rs50 and peas Rs60 against Rs50. Five-kilogram potatoes are being sold for Rs120 against Rs100 and five-kilogram onions are available for Rs110 against Rs100 in vegetable market.Khawaja Muhammad Shafiq chairman of Traders Alliance, criticising the Budget 2010-11, said that people would face 10 to 15 per cent abrupt inflation due to imposition of one per cent increase in general sales tax (GST). He said that the government is preparing people for Value Added Tax (VAT), which is likely to be imposed in July. He said that the government failed to achieve the set tax target of Rs1,667 billion and could collect only Rs1,380 billion. The outstanding tax stands at Rs287 billion, which would be recovered from poor people. He said that the government has offered rebate on electricity, but the common man could not get benefit from this facility.Cigarette dealers/retailers have increased the prices of popular brands like Gold-leaf, Benson & Hedges, by Rs.20 per packet and low-grade brands increased by Rs.10. Similarly Prices of Electronic appliances, Deep freezerss, Air-conditioners increased by ten percent. All Pakistan Wholesale Association President Haji Ikram said that the inflation would increase by 10 to 15 per cent due to imposition of one per cent general sales tax in the Budget 2010-11. Sugar prices would further increase by Rs3 to Rs5 per kilogram in a couple of days, he added.He criticised the government for imposing 0.3 per cent with holding tax on transaction of money from banks, which would directly affect the common man through traders, he said.All Pakistan Poultry Association Ex-President Syed Tahir Ali Zaidi condemned the government for imposing general sales tax. He said that the government is trying to prepare the public for imposition of VAT. After the imposition of VAT, the inflation ratio would further increase up to 30 per cent, he said. He added that one-kilogram chicken would sell for Rs200 if VAT and general sales tax were imposed.Multan Cantonment Traders Association President Malik Nazir Ahmed Awan, strongly opposing the government policies, said that the finance minister tried to present the budget speech tactfully. "There is nothing for the poor in the budget as prices of all items would further increase soon," he said. The sword of VAT is hanging over the public but the masses are ready to resist this brutal tax, he added.