Prices of essential commodities hiked; consumers bear the brunt

Our Reporter
Dimapur, April 23 (EMN): The prices of essential commodities like edible oil and dal have increased by a noticeable margin in the retail market amid the pandemic-induced economic downturn and it is the consumers who have to bear the brunt.

Eastern Mirror found during an inspection that Dal, which was priced at INR 80 per kg a few days ago in Dimapur, now costs INR 90, while the price of edible oil too has increased by INR 10.

“Neeraj” oil that was earlier sold between INR 120 and 130 is now sold at INR 150; price of edible “Engine” oil has increased from INR 170 to INR 180 per litre; while “Fortune” oil price has increased from INR 160 to INR 170 per litre in the retail market.

The hike in prices of some essential commodities amid fear of lockdown over surge in Covid-19 cases has raised many eyebrows but it is said to be not related to the ongoing pandemic.

Ajay Gupta, an official of Neeraj oil manufacturing unit at Alwar in Delhi, told this newspaper over the telephone that price of the firm’s edible oil has increased due to international market fluctuation and not because to lockdown as supply of essential commodities is going on smoothly.

Gupta said that supply of raw materials has been affected due to the pandemic, citing that raw materials of palm oil were imported from Indonesia and Malaysia, and soya beans come from Brazil and Argentina.

He informed that Neeraj oil is sold at INR 154.02 per litre, inclusive of GST, at wholesale market in Delhi as on April 22 and it would cost around INR 170 or 180 in the city’s retain shops.

A wholesale dealer of edible oil told this newspaper that prices would automatically increase if the manufacturing units hike the rates, adding that the wholesale rates issued by Kamrup Chamber of Commerce Guwahati for master oil is around INR 153 and INR 166 per litre and INR 146 to INR 160 per litre for Refined oil as on April 22.

He added that the rate is low in Nagaland as the demand for oil is low in the state and that price would fluctuate if the consumption is high.

Sanjay, a grocery shop owners in Dhobinala area, Dimapur, said that the price of dal at retail market was INR 90 per kg and wholesale rate was INR 83 to 84 per kg as on Friday.

He added that the price hike of dal and oil didn’t happen overnight and that it was a continuous process. He said the rate for dal was hiked about 15 days ago.

He informed that wholesale rate of Masoor dal in Guwahati was INR 80-84 per kg for ‘bold’ variety, INR 82-85 for ‘medium’ variety and INR 85-95 for small variety, while the price of Moong dal, as issued by Kamrup Chamber of Commerce Guwahati on April 22, was INR 95-104.

He said that the rates of such items have been increased not only in Dimapur bur in other parts of the country as well.

Edible oil is brought to Nagaland from Rajasthan, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh states and so its price is decided by the main supplier or manufacturing unit, he added.