The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Kochiites reel under price rise

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Friday, Feb 09, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Kochiites reel under price rise

G. Krishnakumar

Traders say fall in supply is the main reason for escalating prices

SPIRALLING PRICES: Prices of essential commodities have gone up over the last few days making life difficult for the people of the State. Photo: H. Vibhu

KOCHI : Soaring rise in the prices of essential commodities and vegetables has made life tough for lakhs of Kochiites. The Government's assurance that traders would cut down prices by 5 per cent seems to be not yielding results.

On Thursday, prices of vegetables escalated adding to the woes of average customer. According to the rates given by the Ernakulam Merchant Stall Owners Association, the price of a kg of onion in the wholesale market rose to Rs.16. In the retail market, onions were sold at Rs.18 a kg. General secretary of the association N.H. Shameed said: "Last week, the wholesale price of onions in Ernakulam market was Rs.12. In the retail market, it was sold at Rs.14.''

The market rates provided by the association on Thursday for some of the vegetables (per kilogram) in the order of wholesale and retail rates: string beans (Rs.16 and Rs.20); ladies finger (Rs.16 and Rs.20); beans (Rs.13 and Rs.16).

Mr. Shameed attributed the fall in supply as a major reason for the escalating vegetable prices. "About 20 loads (average 12 tonnes) of vegetables used to reach the Ernakulam market daily. Supply has dipped to 12 loads during the last one week following decrease in production of vegetables in Coimbatore, Ootty, Mettupalayam and Sathyamangalam,'' he said.

Merchants supplying rice pointed out that the increase in price was naturally related to the fall in supply especially from Andhra Pradesh. General secretary of the Ernakulam Merchants Union Venkitesh Pai said: "The Government has not identified the real problem. There is a public sentiment that traders are behind the price rise. But the supply of essential items like rice has gone down considerably. Big rice mill owners, who have procured huge quantities of rice, are now calling the shots," he said.

The merchant community in Ernakulam would meet on Saturday to find the reasons behind the price hike. Noor Mohammed Mather, president of the association, said: "We will not support hoarding of essential commodities. And will protest against any harassment against traders in the name of price rise."

But Kochiites are feeling the pinch with many cutting down on purchase of essential items during the last one week. "How can the Government and traders justify the sudden increase in prices of essential commodities?" asked Joseph P.X, a former Central Government employee settled in Kochi for the last five years. "Prices have skyrocketed. And the authorities are not taking any concrete steps to bring it down," said Rema Venugopal, a housewife. Gokul G., an MBA student, said the traders always passed on all of the increase to the customers.

The vegetable vendors were also facing the ire of the customers. "It is not possible to cut down the prices. We are getting the vegetables from major markets at higher rates," said Unni, a vendor at Edapally. The steep price hike also forced hotel owners to step up the price of food items. K. Kuriakose, State president of the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Owners' Association, said: "A meeting of the association to be held in Thiruvananthapuram on February 13 will take a final decision on the price rise," he said.

"We are forced to increase the rates of food items. The average price of essential commodities and vegetables has gone up by 20 to 25 per cent. The Government decision to increase the price of Milma milk is another major problem, as we depend a lot on milk," he said.

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