Retail prices of 41 of 42 essential commodities up in a year; onion rates shoot up almost 113%

NEW DELHI: Retail prices of 41 of the 42 essential commodities monitored by govt have risen over the past year, with potato being the only exception. Onion prices have recorded the sharpest increase, surging nearly 113%, followed by sugar (nearly 22%) and sunflower oil (around 18%), according to price monitoring data of the consumer affairs department.Rising food prices have been a key factor behind retail inflation climbing to a nearly two-year high of 5.5% in Sept, according to official data released by the statistics ministry on Monday. Year-on-year food inflation stood at 7.74% in Sept.Official data across different commodity categories show that among pulses, tur dal recorded the sharpest increase in average retail price, rising to around Rs 129 per kg on Monday from Rs 113 a year ago. Prices were higher in the four metros, ranging from Rs 140 to Rs 145 per kg. The average price of chana dal rose 6.4% to Rs 91 per kg on Monday from Rs 85 a year ago. Govt is likely to consider releasing chana from its buffer stock soon, sources said.Among edible oils, sunflower oil recorded the steepest increase in average retail price, reaching Rs 191 per litre, nearly 18% higher than a year ago. It was followed by palm oil, which rose 15.2%, and soya oil, up 14.6%. Mustard oil prices also increased to Rs 204 per litre from Rs 188 a year ago.Data also show that the average price of regular rice has risen nearly 12% to Rs 47 per kg, while increases in wheat and atta (wheat flour) prices have been marginal. Sugar prices, though moderating to Rs 56 per kg on Monday from nearly Rs 59 a month ago, remain almost 22% higher than a year ago. The increase has been attributed to lower-than-expected production.Among major vegetables, onion prices remain elevated at Rs 53 per kg, while potato prices have fallen by over 6%. Tomato was selling at Rs 42 per kg on Monday, compared with Rs 36 a year ago.Trade sources attributed the rise in onion prices to estimates of a 5-7% decline in kharif onion production in Maharashtra, the country’s largest onion-producing state, due to a reduction in acreage and delayed monsoon rains. Govt is hopeful that prices will ease once the kharif crop starts arriving in mandis.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.