Andhra Pradesh

GoM ‘satisfied’ over drop in rice prices

HYDERABAD: The Group of Ministers (GoM) on prices of essential commodities has expressed ‘satisfaction’ that the prices of rice and other essential commodities ‘are on a downward trend’ in the State following market intervention made by the government.

At a meeting here on Monday to review the market situation under the chairmanship of Finance Minister K. Rosaiah, the GoM noted that the prices of three major varieties of rice -- superfine, fine and common -- fell by Rs. 1.50 to 2 a kg.

The meeting, which was attended by Commercial Taxes Minister K. Ramakrishna and senior officials from Civil Supplies, Legal Metrology, Marketing and Agriculture departments, took the view that this fall in priceswould not have been possible but for the initiative taken by the government to sell rice at subsidised prices through special counters. Mr. Rosaiah later claimed that the availability of fertilizers had improved due to a series of measures taken against unscrupulous traders and hoarders. Farmers had been supplied nearly 32 lakh tonnes, the quantity permitted to the State by the Centre for kharif. He said Agriculture Minister would meet Union Fertilizers Minister Ram Vilas Paswan in New Delhi on October 5 to discuss supply of 27 lakh tonnes for rabi.

Mr. Rosaiah said the sale of rice through special counters and palm oil, and red gram through fair price shops would continue.

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