Lok Sabha Question No. 372 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-04
Subject: Prices of Essential Commodities
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Dayakar Pasunoori

## Government of India Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

## Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 372 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2020

## PRICES OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES

## 372. SHRI PASUNOORI DAYAKAR:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  increase  in  the  prices  of  essential  commodities including onion;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has imported hybrid onions from Turkey and other countries, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
- (d) the  steps  being  taken  to  control  the  prices  of  all  essential  commodities  including  onion, tomato, vegetables and pulses in future?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h ¼Jh nkuos jkolkgsc nknkjko½

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

- (a) & (b) : The details of all India monthly average retail prices of 22 essential food items including onion is at Annexure.
- (c)    :  Government  directed  MMTC to import onion to  improve  domestic availability  and moderate its prices. MMTC floated global/country specific tender to import onions.
- (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  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.

## ANNEXURE

## ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) & (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.372 FOR 04.02.2020 REGARDING PRICES OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES.

| All India Monthly Average of 22 Essential Food Commodities   | All India Monthly Average of 22 Essential Food Commodities   | All India Monthly Average of 22 Essential Food Commodities   | All India Monthly Average of 22 Essential Food Commodities   | All India Monthly Average of 22 Essential Food Commodities   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                              |                                                              |                                                              |                                                              | Unit: ₹/Kg                                                   |
| 1                                                            | Rice                                                         | 33.63                                                        | 33.48                                                        | 33.54                                                        |
| 2                                                            | Wheat                                                        | 28.26                                                        | 28.27                                                        | 28.61                                                        |
| 3                                                            | Atta (Wheat)                                                 | 29.78                                                        | 29.73                                                        | 30.09                                                        |
| 4                                                            | Gram Dal                                                     | 67.06                                                        | 66.54                                                        | 66.32                                                        |
| 5                                                            | Tur/Arhar Dal                                                | 88.46                                                        | 88.35                                                        | 87.98                                                        |
| 6                                                            | Urad Dal                                                     | 91.4                                                         | 96.4                                                         | 99.01                                                        |
| 7                                                            | Moong Dal                                                    | 88.15                                                        | 89.58                                                        | 93.19                                                        |
| 8                                                            | Masoor Dal                                                   | 64.67                                                        | 65.09                                                        | 66.79                                                        |
| 9                                                            | Groundnut Oil (Packed)                                       | 134.66                                                       | 135.55                                                       | 137.07                                                       |
| 10                                                           | Mustard Oil (Packed)                                         | 112.52                                                       | 113.67                                                       | 117.13                                                       |
| 11                                                           | Vanaspati (Packed)                                           | 81.34                                                        | 83.41                                                        | 86.91                                                        |
| 12                                                           | Soya Oil (Packed)                                            | 93.15                                                        | 94.03                                                        | 98.35                                                        |
| 13                                                           | Sunflower Oil (Packed)                                       | 101.72                                                       | 102.44                                                       | 106.04                                                       |
| 14                                                           | Palm Oil (Packed)                                            | 78.32                                                        | 82.4                                                         | 88.77                                                        |
| 15                                                           | Potato                                                       | 22.83                                                        | 25.35                                                        | 26.83                                                        |
| 16                                                           | Onion                                                        | 61.08                                                        | 94.95                                                        | 64.23                                                        |
| 17                                                           | Tomato                                                       | 38.38                                                        | 28.95                                                        | 26.4                                                         |
| 18                                                           | Sugar                                                        | 39.5                                                         | 39.21                                                        | 39.3                                                         |
| 19                                                           | Gur                                                          | 46.8                                                         | 46.15                                                        | 46.48                                                        |
| 20                                                           | Milk(₹/Kg.)                                                  | 44.97                                                        | 44.92                                                        | 45.21                                                        |
| 21                                                           | Tea Loose                                                    | 216.89                                                       | 216.74                                                       | 218.4                                                        |
| 22                                                           | Salt pack (Iodised)                                          | 15.52                                                        | 15.59                                                        | 15.64                                                        |

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