CHENNAI: Retail prices of raw, boiled Ponni, idli and basmati rice have surged by 10% to 37% in just a month, with consumers in Chennai and across Tamil Nadu facing higher grocery bills amid shortages of several popular brands. Retailers said the average price per kg had increased by around Rs 11 compared to September, adding that the rise is expected to continue through the festival season.
One kg of Krishna brand boiled Ponni rice, which was sold at Rs 61 in September, rose to Rs 79 in late October. Apple brand raw rice climbed from Rs 58 to Rs 71 per kg, while a variety of basmati rice saw its price jump from Rs 60 to Rs 97.
Retailers said supply constraints have compounded the price rise, with some brands available only in limited quantities. Thirukumaran, a retailer in Saidapet, said prices of raw, boiled, idli and basmati rice had been rising continuously since August.
"In the wholesale market, the Shivaji brand has stopped supplying 26kg bags and is offering only 5kg packs in limited quantities. Bulk purchases by agents are adding to the shortage," he said, warning that prices could rise further ahead of the festival season.
The increase has affected several widely consumed varieties. Idli rice rose from Rs 37 to Rs 46 per kg, while MRN raw rice increased from Rs 73 to Rs 78. Among boiled Ponni varieties, Bullet rose from Rs 73 to Rs 87 per kg, Shivaji from Rs 73 to Rs 84, and SLM from Rs 64 to Rs 73.
S Vaduvelu, a wholesale trader at Koyambedu market, said prices of different varieties had risen by 16% to 37% over the past month. KNM rice climbed from Rs 58 to Rs 80 per kg, while Vella Ponni increased from Rs 80 to Rs 93. Shivaji (Sanna Ragam) rose from Rs 67 to Rs 87 per kg.
He attributed the increase to lower production of Sanna Ragam rice in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, major supply sources for the variety. Farmers had also shifted to cultivating rice with a shorter growing cycle, he said. Prices were expected to return to normal after January.
The increase has forced households to revise their grocery budgets. M Nirmal, a painter from Kodambakkam who earns around Rs 20,000 a month, said the price of a 26kg bag of Ponni rice had risen from Rs 1,900 to Rs 2,200 in a month.
"I used to buy 10kg of Ponni rice every month, but with prices rising steeply, I decided to buy a 26kg bag (that offers a small volume discount). Even that has become more expensive. With pulses and vegetables also costing more, we have increased our monthly grocery budget to Rs 7,000," he said.
Nirmal said the price rise was particularly burdensome for families earning Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 a month, as a larger share of their income was being spent on essential food items.