High food prices hit citizens hard

“Our life is not as sweet as high-ups think it is, we’re passing through hard times despite some relief provided by administration,” say the salaried, lower and poor segments of society.
“Sometimes food prices rise and fall at others, but in a month or so they surge again sharply, and this rise and fall mentally disturbs common people, also upsetting monthly domestic budget of families,” argue housewives.
One has to lend ears to as many heads of families as one can bear patiently whether they like or dislike socio-economic policies of administration in a democratic era. Elders have rightly advised that social and economic problems have to be solved in an environment of democracy, brotherhood, tolerance and mutual understanding.
There’s no denying the fact that all citizens, upper and lower, are basically consumers: the former financially very strong and the latter in unhealthy position. So, the lower and poor feel an adverse impact on their daily life when in spite of administration’s pro-people effort to arrest the food price hike there is an abrupt rise in vegetable, fruit, milk, yogurt and meat prices.
Let’s go back with a cool mind to a retail market where in April’s second week consumers had to pay Rs200 for a kilogram of capsicum, Rs150 for lady-finger (‘bhindi’), Rs50 for onion as against Rs25/30, Rs150 for cabbage, Rs160 for ginger, Rs80 to Rs100 for a litre of milk and Rs100 for ‘dahi’ (yogurt). Consumers unwillingly paid Rs600/650 for a kilogram of mutton, Rs.400/450 for beef, Rs750/770 for a 20-kilogram bag of inferior quality ‘atta’ (wheat flour) and Rs800/850 for really fine ‘chakki atta’. Sellers blamed the food price hike on petroleum products.
Whatever the reason: the ordinary citizen has to meet the minimum food requirement for survival of his small family. He looks to God and democratic administration for help and relief when food prices after a pause move up again. The other day onion rose to Rs60 from Rs25/35, gram pulse by Rs20 to Rs80 in company with ‘maash’ which has risen to Rs200 from Rs160 followed by ‘masoor’ in the same way. Good for health of common man and his ailing child ginger has further gone up to Rs200.
Indigenous yogurt, called ‘dahi’, is vitally needed by citizens and growing children everywhere, but its price is on the rise almost every month. In some areas, for instance Lohi Bher, the price has been raised again from Rs110 to Rs115 per kilogram. Earlier, in winter it sold at Rs90, but the price was raised to Rs100 and in a couple of months to Rs105/110.
By the way, ‘dahi’ is sour. Who is to be blamed for what housewives term a ‘cruel joke?’
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