Despite panic buying, no hike in prices of essential items reported in Amritsar

Despite panic buying of grocery and other essential items, their prices remain unchanged in the local market. For the past three days, residents had been indulging in panic buying to keep enough stocks at home in case of escalation of the war with Pakistan. But today, no major panic buying was reported.

The prices of commodities have not been increased barring some negligible store owners in a corner of the city. Wholesale traders say there was no shortage of produce in the market.

Comrade Buta Ram, an office-bearer of the Amritsar Retail Karyana Merchants’ Association, said the trend of panic buying has subsided. The number of buyers have also fallen at stores. Though people bought in bulk commodities, such as detergents, soaps, spices, cooking oil, cereals, pulses and other essential items, the prices of very few items were increased.

Even as wheat flour and rice, known for their long shelf life, were bought by consumers in large quantity, their prices were not hiked at all.

Sandeep Gupta, a wholesaler, said he interacted with some dealers in Delhi and they conveyed that there was no scarcity of material and no price was being hiked as the country was at war with the neighbouring country. They did not want the common public to suffer on account of price rise, especially when the country is at war.