Nagpur: Kitchen budgets strained as edible oil, pulses, onion prices soar ahead of festivals
With festival season underway in Nagpur, rising prices of edible oil, pulses, onion, wheat and rice are straining household budgets.
As the festival season begins in Nagpur, household kitchen budgets have started coming under pressure. Weather-related disruptions and fluctuations in supply have pushed up prices of everyday essentials such as edible oil, pulses, onion, wheat and rice, directly affecting household expenses.
Festivals bring a rise in shopping and cooking, which pushes up demand for food items. With essential goods becoming costlier, people are having to spend more from their pockets. Middle class families in particular are finding it difficult to manage their monthly budgets amid the price rise. Local traders say that given the uncertainty during the monsoon, there is little chance of relief in the near future.
According to oil trader Vinod Agrawal, in the last 15 to 20 days, prices of almost all major edible oils in the market, except soyabean oil, have risen by up to Rs 100 per tin, that is, per 15 kg. Groundnut oil is currently selling at Rs 2,870 to Rs 2,900, mustard oil at Rs 2,950 to Rs 3,000, palm oil and castor oil at Rs 2,570 to Rs 2,600, and sunflower oil at Rs 2,700 to Rs 2,730 per tin. Soyabean oil prices remain steady at Rs 2,500 to Rs 2,530.
Agrawal said that rains arrived late in Gujarat, due to which the new groundnut crop is now expected only around Diwali, which has pushed up its prices. Castor oil has become costlier due to rising demand from the oil paint industry during the festival season, while mustard oil prices have risen because farmers are unwilling to sell their produce at lower rates.
According to Ram Mahajan, secretary of the Mahatma Phule Vegetable and Fruit Wholesale Merchants Association, onion prices have remained high for the past month. Onion is selling at Rs 50 to Rs 55 per kg in the wholesale market and Rs 60 to Rs 70 per kg in the retail market. He said these prices have held steady at this level for the past month with no sign of decline so far.
Grain trader Kamlakar Ghatole said rainfall has also affected rice and wheat, with prices rising over the past 8 to 15 days. He said Shriram rice has now reached Rs 55 to Rs 60 per kg, Chinnor rice is selling at Rs 85 to Rs 90 per kg, and wheat prices are ranging from Rs 33 to Rs 40 per kg.
Grocery trader Piyush Agrawal said the wholesale pulses market has also seen a rise in the past month. Prices of tur and chana dal have gone up, while other pulses such as moong and urad have remained stable. Good quality tur dal, which earlier sold at Rs 110 to Rs 115 per kg, has now risen to Rs 130 to Rs 135 per kg.
