CHENNAI: Fine varieties of rice would be soon sold at Rs 30 per kg at 250 cooperative stores across the state to tackle the price rise, announced Food Minister P Venkataramanan on Thursday. Around one lakh tonnes of fine variety rice will be made available in the market under the initiative over the next few days.
The 250 outlets include supermarkets and mini-supermarkets run by the cooperation department and Amudham departmental stores operated by the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC). Currently, fine varieties of rice, including Ponni brands, are sold at Rs 75 to Rs 90 per kg.
Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat, he said price monitoring committees would meet soon to decide on further measures. “Efforts to control the prices of rice, tur dal, wheat, and other essential commodities will be discussed at the meeting.
Based on the deliberations, steps will be taken to bring down prices,” Venkataramanan said. Similarly, the quantity of tur dal sold at Rs 130 per kg at cooperative outlets, against the prevailing market price of Rs 170 to Rs 200 per kg, will also be increased soon.
Venkataramanan said demand for fine varieties of rice had increased due to higher consumption in urban areas, including Chennai, while supplies from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka had declined because of lower production.
“Some rice mill owners associated with certain political parties are also stocking fine varieties, contributing to the scarcity and resulting price rise,” he said. Venkataramanan said fine varieties of Ponni rice cultivated within Tamil Nadu were currently sold at Rs 60 per kg at cooperative supermarkets across the state. Consumers affected by the price rise can purchase rice and tur dal from cooperative outlets and Amudham departmental stores, he added.
Earlier, responding to political criticism on the price rise, the minister told reporters that he was well aware of the problems faced by the people, having grown up standing in long queues to purchase commodities from fair price shops since his younger days.