KARACHI - The social media-driven fruits boycott campaign against exorbitant prices in the fasting month of Ramazan has forced the profiteers to lower the prices, as consumers stayed away from fruit markets for two consecutive days after the launch of the campaign.

The campaign had entered its third day on Sunday. The citizens found some relief on second day of the campaign when the prices of fruits were reportedly lowered by up to 40 percent after street vendors saw minimal market activity.

The deserted markets in the metropolis waited for consumers on Saturday. The fruit vendors seeing a lack of customers said that it’s not their fault if they get something expensive from the wholesalers.

The Empress Market in Saddar area is usually a crowded market but on Saturday the market was largely empty. The fruit vendors seemed perturbed immensely by the campaign. The vendors spent their entire day swatting the flies away with only few customers approaching their stalls.

The situation was similar in various markets throughout the city – only a few people, who may be unaware of the strike, were seen purchasing fruit from vendors.

Albeit, the campaign ran into trouble online for divided opinion but it had an enormous effect on the ground with a huge number of citizens boycotting fruits. The boycott was called by civil society and the groups representing consumer interest due to inflated prices of fresh fruits up to 300 per cent during the month of Ramazan.

Residents lamented that every year during Ramazan an alarming increase in prices of fruits is witnessed besides hike in prices of groceries, with the government watching the entire episode as a silent spectator. They were of the opinion that vendors indulged in profiteering, negating the holy month’s message of piety and tolerance.