Prices of food items are inter-alia affected by mismatch in demand and supply, shortfall in production owing to adverse weather conditions and seasonality, increased transportation costs, supply chain constraints like lack of storage facilities, artificial shortage created by hoarding and black marketing, etc., says India’s Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ministry.
India’s Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ministry on 22nd November released the details of all India Daily Average Retail Prices of 22 essential food items including vegetables, onions and tomatoes during the last 4 years.
Prices of food items are inter-alia affected by mismatch in demand and supply, shortfall in production owing to adverse weather conditions and seasonality, increased transportation costs, supply chain constraints like lack of storage facilities, artificial shortage created by hoarding and black marketing, etc., the Ministry said in a statement.
It also said that the government has taken various measures from time to time to stabilize prices of essential food items which, inter-alia, include appropriately utilizing trade and fiscal policy instruments like Import Duty and export management through instruments like Minimum Export Price, export restrictions, etc. to regulate domestic availability and moderate prices; imposition of stock limits and advising States for effective action against hoarders & black marketers.
Here’re details of ALL INDIA YEARLY AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF 22 ESSENTIAL FOOD ITEMS monitored by Department of Consumer Affairs.
| (Unit: in ₹/kg.) | ||||
| Year | ||||
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 (Till | |
| Commodity | 13.11.2019) | |||
| Rice | 27.32 | 29.23 | 30.05 | 31.38 |
| Wheat | 23.57 | 23.90 | 24.20 | 26.60 |
| Atta (Wheat) | 25.16 | 26.24 | 26.43 | 28.12 |
| Gram Dal | 90.78 | 87.28 | 66.47 | 65.89 |
| Tur/Arhar Dal | 131.72 | 84.02 | 71.07 | 80.55 |
| Urad Dal | 136.95 | 92.35 | 70.83 | 74.37 |
| Moong Dal | 94.55 | 77.57 | 73.46 | 80.10 |
| Masoor Dal | 82.75 | 70.32 | 61.29 | 62.61 |
| Groundnut oil (Packed) | 130.99 | 131.00 | 125.79 | 129.15 |
| Mustard Oil (Packed) | 109.47 | 106.98 | 106.16 | 109.28 |
| Vanaspati (Packed) | 74.40 | 77.71 | 80.32 | 80.15 |
| Soya Oil (Packed) | 82.61 | 85.21 | 89.34 | 92.09 |
| Sunflower Oil (Packed) | 95.11 | 93.10 | 96.28 | 99.45 |
| Palm Oil (Packed) | 68.58 | 70.37 | 76.68 | 75.53 |
| Potato | 19.28 | 14.94 | 19.02 | 17.93 |
| Onion | 16.79 | 22.41 | 23.64 | 24.68 |
| Tomato | 26.01 | 32.32 | 21.82 | 31.02 |
| Sugar | 38.62 | 42.63 | 38.92 | 38.56 |
| Gur | 42.02 | 44.72 | 43.11 | 43.93 |
| Milk (₹/ltr.) | 39.96 | 41.58 | 42.31 | 43.57 |
| Tea Loose | 199.02 | 202.76 | 209.19 | 211.84 |
| Salt Pack (Iodised) | 14.98 | 15.11 | 15.22 | 15.37 |
Source: – State Civil Supplies Department.
Government, on 29 September 2019, imposed stock limits on onion traders across the country – 100 quintals on retail traders and 500 quintals on wholesale traders under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
Further, Government of India has urged State Governments to hold regular meetings with the traders of Onions at State and District level to prevent hoarding, speculative trading and profiteering, unfair and illegal trade practices like cartelling, etc.
