Fine-quality rice to be sold at Rs 30/kg at co-op stores: Minister P Venkataramanan

CHENNAI: Stepping in to control the spiralling price of rice, the State government has decided to sell fine-quality rice, which is the most sought-after variety, at Rs 30 per kilogram at all cooperative stores.

Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat, Food and Civil Supplies Minister P Venkataramanan said that around 25,000 metric tonnes of fine-quality rice would be procured and sold through cooperative stores at Rs 30 per kilogram.

The announcement came after a statement by DMK president MK Stalin, who quoted a Daily Thanthi report on the price rise of essential commodities.

On the consumption of different rice varieties in rural and urban areas, the minister said that people living in urban areas preferred a particular variety of rice, which was being sold at around Rs 75 per kilo.

On the rising prices of other essential commodities, he said the government was monitoring the prices of all essential commodities, including cooking oil and chilli. He added that the government was considering reducing the prices of these products at cooperative stores.

This is the second major intervention by the State government in the recent months after selling onions at low rates.

Over the past few weeks, the prices of almost all essential commodities have been going up, putting pressure on already squeezed home budgets. The data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) last week revealed that retail inflation has reached a 23-month high of 5.54%, sharply up from the August level. The rural parts of the country are the worst-hit, with food inflation surging to 8.06%.

“Tamil Nadu has procured 3.50 lakh metric tonnes of paddy so far. During the corresponding period from September to December last year, 8.11 lakh metric tonnes of paddy had been procured. Compared with last year, paddy procurement will increase this year,” Minister Venkataramanan said.