SONIA P
Rice soars to Rs 56 per kg as drought puts price on boil
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/rice-soars-to-rs-56-per-kg-as-drought-puts-price-on-boil/articleshow/57053938.cms
Rajesh Chandramouli | TNN | Feb 9, 2017, 11.06 AM IST
CHENNAI: The impact of drought in Tamil Nadu has started to be felt. Rice now costs Rs 56 a kg, the highest ever, while prices of products like cashew, sugar, pepper have also increased sharply.
Raw rice, which could be had at Rs 47 a kg in the wholesale market in January 2015, cost Rs 56 on Tuesday, a jump of nearly 19%. The price of sugar rose from Rs 31 a kg to Rs 43 a kg, a rise of nearly 39%, while that of cashew soared by a massive 84% over the two-year period. Retail prices were nearly 5% more. Ghee prices too have climbed steeply by nearly 25% in the past week -from Rs 5,300 for a 15 kg tin to Rs 6,500 a tin. "This is an unprecedented rise in one week," said a trader.
"I have never seen such a pathetic condition in the delta (Cauvery delta) in the last 65 years," S Ranganathan, general secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers Association, told TOI. This is the first time in many years that the southwest monsoon and northeast monsoon have failed and there have been many farm sui cides. On an average, 83 lakh tonnes of paddy are cultivated in the delta. "This time, I will be happy if it's 35 lakh-40 lakh tonnes," Ranganathan said, adding that the yield could be poor even in areas ready for harvest.
