The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Wholesale and retail traders feel the heat of inflation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 28, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Wholesale and retail traders feel the heat of inflation

The skyrocketing prices of almost all the essential commodities, including vegetables and fruits, are having huge impact on the day-to-day living of people and trading activities in Salem district.

People have started cutting down their expenses. Wholesale and retail traders are feeling the heat of inflation as their business volume has started going down.

People now cannot buy a kg of rice without paying Rs. 22. Dal varieties start from Rs. 40 a kg.

Though the prices of a few varieties of Dal have come down in the wholesale market, the prices at the retail market remain unchanged.

The result: many of the Dal varieties are out of the reach for common man. The situation in the vegetable market is not different.

The Sambar onions are bringing tears in the eyes of consumers as it has already crossed Rs. 25 a kg.

Tomatoes, which a sizable number of farmers cultivate in Salem itself, cost Rs. 30 a kg. Even the ladiesfingers climbed to Rs. 16 a kg. Brinjal, which was sold at Rs. 6 a kg a month ago, now costs Rs. 16. Traders attribute the rise in the prices mainly to transport, labour and storage costs.

The fuel prices, freight charges and wages to the labourers had increased manifold in the recent past.

The rising cost reflects on the prices of the commodities, they pointed out.

Though the families in higher and middle income groups had not reduced the quantity, people in the lower strata of society had stopped buying certain commodities, including Sambar onions and fruits, traders lamented.

Salem City Chamber of Commerce General Secretary A. Jayaseelan said that the rise or fall in the prices of commodities primarily depended on the demand and supply.

It would be very difficult to bring down the prices. But the Government could check further increase in the prices.

He said that the prices of a few commodities had come down in the wholesale market following various measures initiated by the Government. It would take at least a month for this to reflect in the retail market.

The spiralling prices are also having adverse impact on other sectors as well.

S. Ramesh

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu