Inflation-hit consumers welcome 'cheap' Iranian food products.

ISLAMABAD -- With food inflation hitting up to 42 per cent in urban areas, a large number of consumers have opted for slightly cheap but 'high quality' Iranian 'smuggled' products, such as oil and cheese, readily available in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Several shops in twin cities have dedicated racks for Iranian goods, but the best place to bargain for these items, mainly packaged food, is the weekly bazaar at Peshawar Morr.

Naimat Khan, a stall-holder at the weekly bazaar, used to sell dry fruits and spices but now he has one section in his shop displaying Iranian goods. He said that the profit margins were better and there was no complaint about the Iranian goods besides the shelf life was also longer.

Though there are a number of products available in the market, the most sought-after Iranian products are cooking oil and butter - but it is hardly available for domestic consumers since commercial consumers get hold of them directly from the wholesale dealers.

The arrival of Iranian goods has been received wholeheartedly by the consumers too, who express confidence in these food items.

'Smuggled' products in high demand due to 'fine packaging quality

'Just look at this sealed bottle of 1.5 litre lassi...not only that it is very well packaged but like every other product, the expiry date is clearly stamped,' said Asmat Zehra.

She also referred to tomato puree and red chili paste, saying it is such a relief for households when the price of fresh tomatoes was on the rise.

She claimed that the imported Iranian items have good packaging and some of them were even up to 50 per cent cheaper compared to Pakistani products. She added every shopkeeper has different rates so bargaining was mandatory.

However, Ms Zehra missed the point that most of the Iranian goods were not imported products but smuggled items brought to the country through a porous border between Iran and Balochistan as well as through Afghanistan.

Apart from Balochistan, Iranian goods were earlier available in Lyari only but now the traders have expanded their outreach to almost all parts of the country including Islamabad.

The wholesalers are mostly based in Bajaur Plaza near Fawara Chowk Rawalpindi, where a wide range...