Food costs rise for food producers

National Statistical Office (NSO) data on food inflation says that the rural food inflation is at 5.3 % in May 2024 and is on constant increase for the last three months while urban inflation stood at 4.15 % for the month. It shows that warehousing facilities are not in place in rural clusters to fall back upon to meet with the supply side when needed. Producer has to doll out more, later, for the food he has produced. GOI in consultation with states should strengthen warehousing comprehensively in the cooperative sector by involving small and marginal farmers on a mission mode. Unfortunately, very less is heard on rural rejuvenation news even in the business newspapers.

–Brij Bhushan Goyal, Ludhiana

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With food inflation particularly hitting the marginalised and poor sector most therefore policymakers and Authority to take in to due consideration and switch to adopt the mechanism that could drop the effect of inflation over buyers. The retail inflation remains low but the food prices including the vegetables and pulses continues to hover by almost 200 basis points and hit the domestic consumption patterns. Although the general elections have been completed but still it has its paves on price fluctuations. The soaring prices have changed the demand of the buyers often sidelining the severe heatwave conditions. More or less the consumers have to beat devastating effects from both side.

–Dimple Wadhawan, Kanpur Nagar

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As a feather in India's cap, the annual inflation rate based on all India Consumer Price Index (CPI) number came in at 4.75% for May 2024, according to government data released. Corresponding inflation rate for rural and urban is 5.28% and 4.15%, respectively. The idea would be to move out maximum number of people from Agriculture to Manufacturing and other services. And let large corporations into agriculture, who will increase yield multifold and reduce prices. To all the people here quoting high vegetable prices in mandis etc., please understand inflation is calculated for a whole basket of goods - not just vegetables. It includes fuel, white goods (prices of which decline with increasing technology), clothes, etc. Food is just one part of it - obviously no one spends 100% of their income on food.

–Jayanthy Subramaniam, Mumbai