Power crunch tames kitchens
After poor rains were being blamed for a price rise in essential commodities like rice and pulses, it is now the state’s power crisis that is leading to hike in rates. Twenty-one out of the 22 items, which make up the commodities list of the civil supplies department, recorded a rise in prices over the last one month. Hyderabad is faring worse too, with the price of pulses rising to the extent of Rs 6 per kilogram throughout August.
According to traders, depleted power supply to rice mills is causing the price rise. Rice mills now have a three-day power holiday and six hours of power cut in the remaining four days. “Rice mills are not functioning at full capacity so rice production has come down,” said Kishore Kumar, a rice trader in Malakpet. The city is also seeing red with the cost of pulses Blackgram and Bengalgram rising by Rs 6 per kilo each in just 25 days. Sunflower oil prices increased by Rs 2 per litre during the same period. Also, two varieties of rice saw rise of Rs 0.50 per kilogram each over the last 25 days in the city while the state average price increased by Rs 0.67 per kilogram.
Post new comment