Tollinton market 1

The business of the market

Tollinton market has housed various items in its precincts. These items are responsible for
the successful running of the business. The market was previously located on the mall where it
was running successfully but due to some political reasons the market was shifted to Shadman.
Here again the market is operating and is maintained well. The success of the market is because
of the items found here. The main items include:

• Chicken
• Meat
• Fish
• Pets

These items are brought from different places and are sold at appropriate prices decided by the
pricing committee. The revenue generated from the sales of these products is uses in various
ways by the shop owners like for paying to employs, cleanliness of their shops and also for the
bills. Some of these shops are self owned and the rest are rents out to the shop keepers. Not only
the above items are found here but various other are also found that mainly includes cages, fish
tanks, weapons (guns), cutlery and vegetables. The important products are enlisted above that are
basically the main source for the business there.

Chicken:

One of the most important products found in the market is chicken. It has been a likeable
product of everyone in the world. It is not only used in houses but also in various restaurants and
hotels of the city.

Chicken that is found in the market is brought from farms, slaughter houses and they are
sometimes grown in the market by themselves. The trucks have been hired that bring them to the
market early in the morning. A process of bidding takes place for setting up the price for the day
but at the end of the day the price is decided by the committee form to set up the prices. This
price is the unanimous decision and the opinions of retailers are also kept in mind for this
purpose. Sellers of chicken from various areas of city come to the market to get the amount
which they could sell at their respective places. It is also bought by retailers who have their shops
 Tollinton market 2

in the market. After buying the retailers put a large amount in cages and a cut a few of them so
that people might get attracted and buy their product.

The same price of the chicken is followed as it is agreed by the committee. The shop owners on
an average get a revenue of rupees 50000 daily. Some of the amount is paid to the employees
and some is paid to the supplier, the rest is used by shop owner to pay to sweepers and security
guards. They pay rupees 20 to the sweeper to clean up the place and same amount to the security
guard on daily basis as said by one of retailer Rahman,hafiz (2009.) during a personnel
interview: “we are currently paying rupees 20 to the sweeper and same amount to the security
guard on daily basis.” They also use this money to buy the tools that they require to work.

There are variations in supply of the chicken which affects the prices and they are due to
seasonal changes. In summer the supply is lower and also the size of chicken is high so prices go
up which results in lower sales whereas in winter the supply is high and also because there is a
fear of animals dying of bird flu the prices are lower which creates more opportunity for the shop
owners to clean and maintain their shops.

In short the shop owners are the active body of the who are the participants for the success of
business in the market

Meat:

one not only get chicken but also meat in the market and its shops are located separately in the
marker. Meat is one of the most important and most likeable product found in the market. The
butchers have arranged stalls where they have hanged meat and also place them on the surface.
in the meat area there are two type of products meat and beef.

They are brought form either the slaughter houses or the animal are bought by the butcher from
bakra mandi and are then transported for sale to the market. The meat from slaughter houses is
transported on carts and trucks. The ones who are bought for bakra mandi are slaughter in the
market and are then set up to sold.

The price of both these products is set up by the president of the meat market. Their prices are
for meat its RS 220 per kg and for beef it’s RS 150 per kg. Many customers come to the place
daily basis and get the meat of their choice. The daily sale on an average for an individual shop
keeper is Rs 40000. They pay some of the amount as rent, some as payment to their employees
 Tollinton market 3

and they also pay some amount for cleaning and security purpose to the sweeper sand guard that
they have hired. They also buy tools for cutting of pieces of meat.

Unlike chicken the retailers of meat and beef do not face any difficulty in their supplies and
prices of their product because there are no seasonal effects on the product that they are selling in
the market. They very well know how to catch the customers and that is why their business is
operating well and is progressing.

Fish:

There are not many shops of fishes in the market as the fish that is found here is mainly the sea
fish that is transported from the coastal areas. The shop of the fish comes under the meat market
as it is also one of the most successful businesses so it’s given a separate position in the market.
The price of the fish is set up by the individual shop owner as there are various varieties of them.

Since fish is a seasonal product so there arises variation in its prices and as well its sales. In
winter the supply of fish is higher as everyone like to eat it so the prices are a little higher and
sales go above 150 kg. As the prices are higher so the more revenue is generated. In summer
their supply goes down and demand is also not so high so prices are a little lower so revenue is
also less but still the shop owners are paying to each of its employee their salary. They are also
paying to sweepers and guards for cleaning and security. They have refrigerators to store the
excess amount of the product. They normally store it in summer when there sales are not so
higher. Despite fluctuations the business of the fish is going well in the market.

Pets:

There are two types of pets found in the tollinton market that mainly includes birds and
animals.

Birds:

A birds association has been formed in the tollinton market that is responsible for checking the
birds. These birds are mostly bought and sold within the market they are sometimes brought in
the market but mostly people come to sell them in the market. Their prices are high the main
reason is the interest of people in them. The shop owners of the birds are also paying for
cleanliness and also for the betterment of the market but they have problems in the sales of
 Tollinton market 4

certain birds as peacock, fenze and other exotic birds since they are banned in the market as told
by one of the shop owners hafiz,rahman (2009) :

According to the act of 1973, there is no restriction for the sales of any type
of bird in the market but still authority has banned the selling of peacock and fenze and various
other birds from the market which is wrong

Restriction of these birds has disappointed many bird lovers and they have stopped coming to
market and hence the sales of them is affecting a lot

Animals:

There are two types of animals found in the market the cats and dogs. There are both
local and imported varieties of them in the market. The local ones are not as expensive as there
sale are not so high and the imported ones have a little higher prices. The shop owners of these
shops take good care of the varieties they have. They also get good amount of money for the
sales of the respective animals. They are also paying for the cleaning of their shops. The business
is earning a lot of profit due to its sales.

There are some shop owners who are selling dogs that are fabricated at higher prices and also
these dogs are not vaccinated which creates problems for people who buy them farooq,khan
(2003):

Canine enthusiasts are being cheated by the well-established practice of selling stolen, stray,
unregistered and non-pedigreed dogs in Lahore. These puppies and dogs are often sold to buyers
without vaccination for diseases like Hepatitis, Scabies and Rabies and pose a major health risk.
Veterinarian Dr Ihtisham told Daily Times canines could transfer diseases to humans on contact,
or even when canine faeces or urine are stepped in.

Although the business is well good regarding the market but there is a need for elimination of
corruption if it is there

Conclusion:
 Tollinton market 5

The items that are found in the market are very profitable for the building as it leads to a
betterment of the market itself.

Recommendation:

• The prices of items can be set at appropriate level only if the supply is controlled in case
of chicken and pets.
• The restriction regarding few variety of birds should be removed

Reference

• Rahman, hafiz (2009). Interview taken during data collection. Tollinton Market Shadman
 Tollinton market 6

• Farooq, k (2003, feburary 3). Dogs sales that leave much to bitch about. Retrieved on
January 2009, from Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan – web site:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_3-2-2003_pg7_17