Bad weather hit pulses output, rise in vegetable prices a seasonal effect: Ram Vilas Paswan

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Concerned over rising inflation, food and consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Wednesday said that from June to August tomato, potato prices always increase, but this is just temporary.

Ram Vilas Paswan also flagged off mobile vans for selling pulses at reasonable prices here today. These mobile vans run by National Cooperative Consumer Federation of India (NCCF) will sell pulses mainly tur and urad at Rs 120 /kg in various parts of Delhi. Outlets of Kendriya Bhandar and Safal are already selling pulses in Delhi and NCR at these rates.

Briefing the media on the occasion, Paswan said that government has procured about 1,46,000 MT pulses for buffer stock.

States government have been urged to take the pulses from the buffer stock and sell them not more than Rs 120/kg to ensure availability at reasonable prices. He expressed the hope with the recently increase in the MSP and expected good monsoon pulses production will get desired boost.

The minister said the central government has worked out a strategy to mitigate the shortage of pulses and maintain the stability of the prices.

He said there would be a gap of over 76 lakh tonnes. In this case, private importers may import only 60 lakh tonnes.

He said the Centre has also asked state governments to take action on hoarding of pulses and this has resulted in reduction of prices.

Retail prices of pulses are still ruling high at over Rs 170 per kg even as the government is making efforts to boost supply through its newly-created buffer stock and imports. Even tomato prices have doubled to Rs 80 a kg due to the crop damage. Potato rates have also been on the rise.

As per the WPI data released today, vegetable inflation rose sharply to 12.94 percent, from 2.21 percent a month earlier.

Pulse inflation has remained in double digits since January 2015 and stood at 35.56 percent in May.