Delhi govt keeping close watch on essential commodities' prices: Minister

The minister directed the Food and Civil Supplies commissioner to convene weekly meetings with departments and agencies to ensure that the prices of essential commodities were kept under control. During a meeting, officers said retail prices of onion in Delhi were less as compared to last year.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain said on Wednesday that the Delhi government was keeping a close watch on the prices of essential commodities and intervention would be made wherever possible to stabilise the rates. The minister directed the Food and Civil Supplies commissioner to convene weekly meetings with departments and agencies to ensure that the prices of essential commodities were kept under control.

During a meeting, officers said retail prices of onion in Delhi were less as compared to last year. They said onion prices were going to stabilise in the near future due to the ban on its exports, less demand as compared to last year and the likelihood of arrival of sufficient produce by October-end.

Officers said tomatoes were a highly-perishable commodity, their prices depend on seasonal factors and heavy rain in the producing states adversely impacted the demand-supply position, affecting retail prices. The participating agencies were of the view that the retail prices of tomato would likely stabilise soon in Delhi. They informed the minister that the retail prices of potatoes had increased due to the low production this year.

Hussain directed the agencies concerned to take effective action against hoarders and black marketers.