Lok Sabha Question No. 3019 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-21
Subject: Retail Price of Essential Items
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: RABINDRA KUMAR JENA

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3019

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.03.2017

## RETAIL PRICE OF ESSENTIAL ITEMS

3019. SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the retail prices of sugar, potato, chana dal, rice, wheat and milk in the current year;
- (b) whether the prices of the above food items have increased or decreased from the last year;
- (c) the details of the increase or decrease; and
- (d) the  stance  of  the  Government  with  regard  to  the  increasing  prices  of  essential  food commodities like sugar and potato and the steps taken to arrest this increasing trend?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h ¼Jh lh- vkj- pkS/kjh½

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

- (a) to (c ) :  The All India average retail price of sugar, potato, chana dal, rice wheat and milk in the current and previous year; and the yearly rate of variation are given in the table below:
- (d) :   Government has issued order imposing stock holding and turnover limits on dealers of sugar currently valid till 28.04.2017. State Governments/UTs have been advised to enforce this order  to  prevent  any  speculative  and  hoarding  tendencies.  Custom  duty  of  20%  has  also  been imposed on export of sugar to discourage further exports. In case of potatoes, import duty was reduced  from  30%  to  10%  and  Minimum  Export  Price  of  USD  360  was  imposed  to  improve domestic  availability  and  help  moderate  its  prices  during  the  period  when  prices  were  under pressure. Government has also set-up Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) to tackle price volatility of important agri-horticultural commodities like pulses, potatoes and onions to protect the interests of consumers.

| Commodities   | All India Average Retail Price (Rs/kg)   | All India Average Retail Price (Rs/kg)   | All India Average Retail Price (Rs/kg)   |
|---------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Commodities   | Price As On 15/03/2017                   | 1 Year Ago 15/03/2016                    | %Variation over 1 Year                   |
| Sugar         | 42.43                                    | 34.73                                    | 22.17                                    |
| Potato        | 13.44                                    | 14.99                                    | -10.34                                   |
| Chana Dal     | 88.4                                     | 65.34                                    | 35.29                                    |
| Rice          | 28.87                                    | 26.78                                    | 7.8                                      |
| Wheat         | 24.39                                    | 23.25                                    | 4.9                                      |
| Milk          | 41.04                                    | 39.75                                    | 3.25                                     |

Source: State Civil Supplies Department

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