Spike in prices of essential commodities

Ravneet Singh

Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 27

While the district administration is working hard to provide essential commodities to all households, vendors in the city are selling them at high prices amid Covid-19 scare.

Residents of slums and inner city of Patiala have raised concern over hike in prices of commodities, sadly the same has been recorded with retail chains as well. Prices of wheat flour have touched Rs 35 per kg in some areas while the residents of Mathura Colony and Baba Veer Singh Colony have also raised the same concern.

The grocery shop owners and vegetable seller retail chains are taking advantage of panic buying by people and have also increased prices of commodities. The chains, also providing bills, are selling the commodities at high prices. Onions are being sold at Rs 66 per kg, ginger at Rs 225 per kg, oranges at Rs 100 per kg and bananas at Rs 120 per dozen.

Meanwhile, a retail chain owner, based at Leela Bhawan, said they were providing the commodities at controlled rates. Ravi Inder Singh, who works at the Vishal Mega Mart, said, “Our stock is being sold out as wholesalers were earlier not permitted to sell the products but now they have also been given permissions. We are selling the commodities at doorstep without any exponential increase in prices. We will also conduct rounds of areas and sell the commodities as per permissions of the administration.

The district administration had on Thursday said that shopkeepers will not be allowed to hoard the products. Deputy Commissioner Kumar Amit said the shopkeepers can keep a limited stock at their places and are supposed to keep a record of their sale.

Deputy District Mandi Officer Jaspal Singh Ghumaan said the hike in prices of commodities was due to supply shortage and margins gained by the vendors. He added, “We are ensuring that the supplies in mandis reach easily. Hopefully, the prices will be under control from tomorrow.”