Lok Sabha Question No. 313 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-15
Subject: Price Rise of Essential Commodities
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Deepak Baij

## Government of India

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 313 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.09.2020

## PRICE RISE OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES

## 313. SHRI DEEPAK BAIJ:

(OIH)

## Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION उपभोक् तामाम  ,खाद्यऔरसार्वजनिकनर्तरणमंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any hinderance is being faced in supply of eatable things to the consumers due to unprecedented increase in  the  retail  prices  of  essential  commodities  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) the  percentage  of  Consumer  Price  Index  during  January  to  August  2020  and  the  current inflation rate in comparision to the previous year;
- (c) whether the steps taken by the Government to check the inflation are not adequate and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the factors responsible for the price hike of the eatable items and the effect of hike in diesel and petrol prices therein?

## ANSWER

## उपभोक् तामाम  ,खाद्यऔरसार्वजनिकनर्तरणराज् यमंत्री )श्रीदािर् रार्साह बदादारार्(

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI DANVE RAOSAHEB DADARAO)

(a) & (b)  : Monthly Average of retail prices in respect of 22 essential commodities monitored by Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) from April to August 2020 indicating the increase in retail prices is attached at Annexure-I and year on year Consumer Price Inflation as compiled by Ministry of Statistics & Program Implementation (MoSPI) for 2019 and 2020 is at Annexure-II.

(c) & (d)  : 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 and export duty, 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 ; and, provision of higher Minimum Support Prices to incentivize farmers for increasing production. Government is also implementing Schemes which,  inter  alia,  include  Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH),  National Food Security Mission (NFSM), National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP), etc. for increasing  agricultural  production  and  productivity  through  appropriate  interventions.  Besides, Government is also implementing Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) to help moderate the volatility in prices of agri-horticultural commodities like pulses, onion, and potato.

## ORIGINAL IN HINDI

Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) has also formulated a new scheme 'Operation Greens' for integrated development of Tomato, Onion and Potato (TOP) value chain which, inter alia,  has  the  objective  of  price  stabilisation  for  producers  and  consumers  by  proper  production planning in the TOP clusters and introduction of dual use varieties. These policy interventions by Government had ensured that the consumer price index of majority of essential food items have remained relatively stable or decline with only a few recordings marginal increase during January to July, 2020. The details of prices are annexed.

Prices of food items are inter-alia affected by mismatch in demand and supply, shortfall in production owing to adverse weather conditions, seasonality, increased transportation costs, supply chain  constraints  like  lack  of  storage  facilities,  artificial  shortage  created  by  hoarding  and  black marketing, etc.

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## ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS    (a)  &  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.313  FOR  15.09.2020  REGARDING  PRICE  RISE  OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES.

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## All India Monthly Retail Prices of 22 Essential Commodities

|                        |        |        |        | Unit:   | Unit:   |
|------------------------|--------|--------|--------|---------|---------|
| Commodity              | Apr-20 | May-20 | Jun-20 | Jul-20  | Aug-20  |
| Rice                   | 34.07  | 34.09  | 34.34  | 34.21   | 34.54   |
| Wheat                  | 29.10  | 28.94  | 28.49  | 28.12   | 28.23   |
| Atta (Wheat)           | 31.20  | 31.37  | 31.37  | 31.20   | 31.11   |
| Gram Dal               | 69.01  | 68.26  | 66.57  | 66.48   | 66.36   |
| Tur/Arhar Dal          | 94.53  | 94.73  | 92.96  | 93.14   | 93.03   |
| Urad Dal               | 104.03 | 104.40 | 101.76 | 100.15  | 98.71   |
| Moong Dal              | 108.61 | 111.01 | 108.94 | 106.92  | 103.52  |
| Masoor Dal             | 72.96  | 76.23  | 76.61  | 76.70   | 77.35   |
| Groundnut Oil (Packed) | 143.80 | 146.56 | 147.96 | 149.25  | 149.23  |
| Mustard Oil (Packed)   | 117.95 | 118.25 | 119.94 | 122.09  | 124.48  |
| Vanaspati (Packed)     | 89.93  | 90.48  | 90.96  | 90.84   | 91.38   |
| Soya Oil (Packed)      | 101.07 | 101.38 | 101.04 | 101.78  | 102.20  |
| Sunflower Oil (Packed) | 109.60 | 110.87 | 111.61 | 112.86  | 113.15  |
| Palm Oil (Packed)      | 89.26  | 88.27  | 88.49  | 89.53   | 91.13   |
| Potato                 | 26.43  | 25.82  | 27.16  | 30.59   | 33.25   |
| Onion                  | 28.02  | 21.66  | 20.62  | 21.53   | 22.63   |
| Tomato                 | 22.37  | 19.46  | 24.46  | 48.18   | 45.77   |
| Sugar                  | 40.09  | 39.85  | 39.72  | 40.20   | 40.21   |
| Gur                    | 47.07  | 47.93  | 47.86  | 48.36   | 49.24   |
| Milk (Rs./Ltr)         | 46.27  | 46.72  | 46.88  | 47.11   | 47.00   |
| Tea Loose              | 218.82 | 217.93 | 219.59 | 220.88  | 223.98  |
| Salt Pack (Iodised)    | 16.14  | 16.09  | 16.33  | 16.37   | 16.30   |

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS    (a)  &  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.313  FOR  15.09.2020  REGARDING  PRICE  RISE  OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES.

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## Consumer Price Index (Inflation %)

| Months    |   2019 | 2020     |
|-----------|--------|----------|
| January   |   1.97 | 7.59     |
| February  |   2.57 | 6.58     |
| March     |   2.86 | 5.84     |
| April     |   2.99 | *        |
| May       |   3.05 | *        |
| June      |   3.18 | 6.23     |
| July      |   3.15 | 6.93 (P) |
| August    |   3.28 |          |
| September |   3.99 |          |
| October   |   4.62 |          |
| November  |   5.54 |          |
| December  |   7.35 |          |

## Source: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation

P Provisional,          * - Inflation figures not released by due to data inadequacy issues

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