Food price rise coming, warn Delhi traders

Consumers in Delhi may have to pay more money for essential food items in the coming days, as prices are expected to rise sharply.

Consumers in Delhi may have to shell out more money for essential food items in the coming days, as prices are expected to rise sharply due to depleting food grain stocks in the capital.

“We fear a sharp increase in grain and dal prices in the coming days because there is no stock,” Delhi Grain Merchant Association President O P Jain said in a statement on Wednesday.

The scarcity, albeit artificial, is a result of 11 food grain traders associations deciding not to buy fresh stocks outside of the national capital following continuing raids on traders’ stock, it said.

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“We cannot be blamed for expected scarcity and sharp increase in prices of food grain products in the coming days as Delhi Government does not want us to keep food stocks,” Dal and Besan Miller Association President Ashok Gupta said.

Due to constant raids against hoarders, Delhi grain merchants have almost finished off their stocks and have not ordered fresh stocks fearing unnecessary harassment by the Government and raids on their stocks, he explained.

“We are going by the whims of Delhi Government and cannot be blamed for future price hike or problems, we want to stay away from any controversy and blame games,” he noted.

Delhi Government began raids on traders stocks to keep a check on rising wholesale prices of wheat and various dals. Denying any role in increase in wholesale prices, association said that the cost of grains including dal, besan and sugar in the capital was less than other states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. In fact, they have increased by Rs 1 a kilo on Tuesday, it said.

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Blaming other inputs for increase in wholesale price index, Gupta said, “We are open to all checks for our stocks … No trader wants to hold stocks in this global fluctuating market.”