The The Covid-19 pandemic has left many with depleted economic resources and no source of income. Now they also have to contend with increases in the price of essential goods such as cooking oil and legumes. The story is the same across the country.
Kitchenware prices, other than gasoline and diesel, skyrocketed during the second wave of the pandemic. In the past year, the prices of essential foods have increased by 40 to 100 percent. That makes it very difficult for families to make ends meet.
India Today journalists spoke to several families, wholesalers and experts in different cities to understand the basic reality of this problem.
DELHI
Shalini Arora, a resident of Delhi, said that earlier the rise in gas prices and now the rise in oil and legumes had misled her kitchen budget. “The government should curb the rise in the price of everyday items,” she said.
While the price of mustard oil was 110-120 rupees per kg last year, the price is now 185-195 rupees per kg. Refined oil is now being sold for Rs 150-165.
(Photo: Susanne)
According to Pradeep Jindal, president of the Association of Legumes and Beans Importers, the price of legumes in the wholesale market has not increased much. However, the retail market has seen prices rise 15 to 20 percent, he said.
“The retail sector generates a profit of 70 percent. Even today, legumes cost Rs 95 per kg in the Delhi wholesale market. If the government wants to bring inflation down, the price of brands in retail markets should be capped, just as the government capped testing costs during the pandemic, ”Jindal said.
(Photo: Susanne)
Hemant Gupta, who is involved in the oil trade in Delhi’s Naya Bazar, claimed that the price of oil is rising due to a parallel rise in prices in the international market. One of the reasons for this is that China is buying three times its edible oil consumption from other nations, he said.
PATNA
At the wholesale market in Patna, wholesaler Manoj Kumar said that the price of edible oil in India has skyrocketed because most of it comes from abroad. Due to global inflation, India is also faced with high oil prices.
“The main reason for the rise in oil prices is the decline in imports of palm olein oil from abroad. The demand for mustard oil continued to surge during the pandemic, leading to inflation. Soybean oil no longer came from the outside, ”said Kumar.
The price of mustard oil in the wholesale market is currently between Rs 160 and Rs 192 per liter. Meanwhile, the price of refined oil fluctuates between Rs 155 and Rs 195 per liter.
(Photo: Rohit Kumar Singh)
According to Kumar, an increase of 50 to 60 rupees per liter of cooking oil has been recorded in the past two months.
When it comes to legumes, some wholesalers in Patna said that the price increase is on the agitation of the farmers in Delhi.
“The rise in the price of legumes is due to the excitement of the farmers and also to the lower supply from Madhya Pradesh. The transport costs have also doubled due to the high gasoline and diesel costs, ”says wholesaler Ashok Kumar.
Wholesalers expect mustard and refined oil prices to fall in the last week of June or the first week of July.
MUMBAI
The lockdown caused by a pandemic has left R. Shukla and his family, residents of Dadar, Mumbai, no choice but to use their savings to make ends meet. With the price of essentials rising, it “becomes impossible to manage”.
“My brother had a small business in Dadar. He had three employees. Due to the lockdown, his shop was closed and he is now just sitting at home. We are forced to stay in a dilapidated building because we don’t have the money to move to a new location. During the lockdown, we exhausted our savings. Then there is inflation. How will the middle class survive? ”Shukla asked.
His wife Sonita said it had become difficult to manage the household budget. “Food grains, oil and spices are staple foods for everyday use. How much can you save through daily use? The price of oil has skyrocketed, ”she said.
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Additionally, Sonita’s mother-in-law Chandravati Shukla pointed out that prices for onions and other vegetables are likely to rise during the upcoming monsoon season.
Akshata Gadkari, a teacher, is in a similar situation. She takes tuition to make ends meet.
“I stopped making a monthly budget because it increases the stress. But even a weekly budget is difficult to manage. There are no new job opportunities or income opportunities. If the price rises like this, what are we going to do? ”She asked.
The situation is even worse for retired seniors. Prakash Bhilare, 63 years old, and his wife Charushila live in the suburbs of Dadar.
Prakash and Charushila Bhilare at their home in Dadar. (Photo: Pankaj Upadhyay)
“I cannot afford this price increase. My son lost his job in the travel industry during the lockdown. As a father, I have to take care of my son. My savings are falling and my son cannot find a job. In this scenario, we will soon no longer be able to afford our daily meals, ”said Prakash Bhilare.
His wife Charushila stated that she could not sleep at night. She said, “Where’s the relief for the middle class? Is the price increase justified right now when there have been job losses? Shouldn’t the government take care of the people in this hour of crisis? “
As for the reasons for the price increase, market expert Pankaj Jaiswal said that hoarding food grains upset the balance of supply and demand and led to inflation. He also stated that oil prices have skyrocketed due to India’s reliance on imports of palm oil.
Regarding the corrective action to be taken by the government, Jaiswal said, “The need to act is now. The pandemic and prolonged lockdowns have weakened the economy’s immune system. There could well be an onslaught of the economic black fungus soon. The government must build an economic think tank made up of experts, not bureaucrats, in order to develop solutions for the common good. “
LUCK
In Uttar Pradesh, the price of edible oil has risen the most. The price has almost doubled on the open market since last year.
To understand the impact of this inflation, the India Today team spoke to the Upadhyay family in Lucknow about their experience.
Mukesh Upadhyay, elementary school teacher and father of three, said the family was cutting down on all luxury items and only focusing on the essentials. He said it would be difficult for a middle-class family like his. After Covid-19, inflation has become their main concern. For example, no pulses are available for less than Rs 100 per kg.
(Photo: Abhishek Mishra)
Upadhyay pointed out that in addition to food, gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas prices have also skyrocketed. In Uttar Pradesh the price of gasoline has exceeded 92 rupees per liter and the price of liquefied petroleum gas has risen to around 900 rupees per cylinder.
His wife, Manjiri Upadhyay, said the low income made it difficult to run the house.
In their view, those who hoard vital raw materials and market them black are responsible for the rise in prices. “The government should act against such people as soon as possible,” she said.
Meanwhile, her 14-year-old daughter said she, too, has reduced her favorite snacks and switched to homemade snacks due to inflation.
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