TIRUPATI: Will the price of the famed Tirumala laddu go up? Highly-placed sources confirmed that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is contemplating withdrawal of subsidy as well as a hike in price in view of the steep increase in the cost of ingredients.
The production cost of each laddu is around Rs 34.70. The proposal is to withdraw the subsidy and sell it for the same price or hike the price and sell it for around Rs 40 a piece.
It appears that the members of the TTD Trust Board are in favour of increasing the price besides withdrawing the subsidy because, the cost of ingredients, particularly ghee, has gone up substantially since 2007 when the laddu price was last hiked - from Rs 10 to Rs 25.
“The issue of either hiking the price or withdrawing the subsidy was discussed in board meetings in the past. Though we have not taken any decision, we may have to, in the future, since there is no other alternative,” TTD Chairman Chadalawada Krishna Murthy told Express on Wednesday.
The TTD prepares three lakh laddus every day. On an average, at least one lakh devotees get the Tirumala prasadam every day.