Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Mar 3: On the second day of the holy month of Ramadan, the demand for dates has surged across Kashmir, triggering a price war between vendors and shopkeepers in Srinagar and elsewhere in the valley. With enforcement agencies missing in action, consumers are left at the mercy of fluctuating rates.
Despite government claims of price regulation, multiple vendors in Srinagar and other places continue to sell dates at varying rates.
While shopkeepers call their stock the “best dates with all premium varieties”, smaller vendors claim to offer better deals. Among them, a local Kashmiri found himself struggling with multiple prices.
A street vendor at Lal Chowk’s bustling market said that big shops charge extra for their name, while they offer the same dates at better prices.
A shop owner just a few steps away claimed their dates are of “premium quality” and are sourced from the best regions, ensuring top quality at reasonable rates.
Consumers, meanwhile, remain caught in the middle with fluctuating prices. “There is no uniform pricing. Every shopkeeper is charging as per their will,” said Adil Ahmad, a shopper in Srinagar. He said the government only makes hollow promises and there is no one to check the prices in the market.
Another shopper urged the government to intervene and ensure proper price checks instead of making empty promises from their offices.
“Whenever an official from any department visits the market, they are accompanied by a group of media persons who outnumber the officials. We don’t understand if they are here for an inspection or just for publicity,” said a resident from Rajbagh, requesting anonymity.
Officials from the Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department admitted their inability to act. “We too are consumers and are witnessing the soaring prices in the market, but we are helpless,” an official said earlier.
An official from the FCS&CA department, wishing anonymity, said that they want to act against the price variations, but the government has left them powerless.
“Once the government gives us real authority, we will show what we can do,” he said. “If the government is really concerned about people, they should restore enforcement powers to the Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Department so we can take action.”
He said the government is not considering reviving the enforcement wing, which has been inactive for the past two to three years.
