THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : As people continue to feel the pinch with the prices of vegetables and other essential items soaring, the state government on Sunday said it would make a more effective market intervention to check the price rise. The food and civil supplies department has withdrawn the price hike of around 12 essential items in the face of growing protests.
At the same time, local traders pointed out that tomato was being sold at Rs 120 per kg in the retail market, and drumstick at around Rs 200 per kg. The damage caused to standing crops by heavy rain in November has been cited as a major reason for the sky-high prices. Food and Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil told reporters the state government would make the necessary market intervention.
“The prices of 12 non-subsidised essential items rose when Supplyco revised the monthly rates based on the wholesale price charged during the time of purchase. The government has scrapped the revised rates that came into effect the other day, considering the misery of the people,” Anil said.
The prices of items like green gram, black gram, Bengal gram, red gram, coconut oil, fenugreek, green peas, chickpea, sortex raw rice, matta rice, biryani rice and masoor dal have not been changed. “The Supplyco has been selling 13 essential items at subsidised rates through 1,506 retail outlets. No price rise has been effected on these items since April 2016,” the minister said.
Further, as many as 35 items have been made available in the open market at a rate up to 50% lower than the market rate, he said. “The provision of essential items at subsidised rates and purchasing items from neighbouring states without middlemen would be continued with. The government will not allow anyone to cause a price rise in the market. The online sale and home delivery of items launched by the Supplyco will be made available across the state,” he said.
Though the state has been claiming that around 78.5% of the total vegetables required for daily consumption are now being produced domestically, and only 21.5% is sourced from neighbouring states, the prices of a majority of vegetables have witnessed a two to three-fold increase.