Raids In Delhi, Prices Down In Lucknow

SIDDHARTH KALHANS
Lucknow, 15 April
After raids in Delhi the traders in Uttar Pradesh have turned `Samaritan'.
Taking a new inititaive the different trader’s organisation in several cities of Uttar Pradesh has decided to setup special counters to sell edible oil, rice and pulses at reduced rates. After raids in Delhi on the go downs of traders, their counter parts in UP have started offloading their stock and in the last two days the rates of various items have come come down. The first such initiative was taken by the firms selling edible oil. The traders of edible oil put special counters at three dozen places in Lucknow and at dozen places on Kanpur and Varanasi and other cities. At these special counters the muster oil is selling at Rs 64 per KG instead of Rs 75 to 80 per KG while Vanaspati is selling at Rs 55 per KG instead Rs 70 to 74. What is more surprising is that the even the mustard oil with Rs 100 MRP ( maximum retail price) printed on it is being sold at Rs 64 per KG. Seeing the initiative of the edible oil traders, the UP Rice and Pulse Millers Association decided to open special counters and sell rice and pulse at reduced rates. From Friday the good quality mansoori rice will be available at special counters that are to be opened in each of the market, at Rs 13 per Kg instead of Rs 18 per KG. The rates of Arhar Daal has also been reduced from Rs 42-44 per Kg to Rs 38 per Kg while ordinary quality pulse will be available for Rs 35 per Kg. The traders have also decided to sell the wheat flour at Rs 15 per Kg instead of Rs 18 per Kg.
The traders organisations have been claiming by the end of this week such special counters will be opened in each and every big city of the state.
The spokesperson of UP Udyog Vyapaar Partinidhi Mandal, CK Chabra when asked about Business Standard about sudden drop in the prices of edible oil, rice and pulse, said that it is not due to the fear of raids. `The meaning of hoarding has been changed now and at present big companies which are in retail sector are doing this. The trader sitting in a Lucknow market can hoard up to such an extent that could change the price line', Chabra told Business Standard.
Meanwhile while the grocery shop owners in UP have started mounting pressure on the companies supplying edible oil, rice and pulses to reduced the rates in general. `Why should we deprive out customer from the reduced rates on various items', said Shivram Agarwal of Lucknow Kirana Association.
-------
Reduced Rates Of Essential Items in Lucknow
Item Rates (Last Week) Rates (Now) at Spl Counters


Mustard Oil Rs 75-80 per Kg Rs 64 per Kg

Vanaspati Rs 65-78 per Kg Rs 55 per Kg

Ghee Rs 155-180 per Kg Rs 140 per Kg

Rice (Mansoori) Rs 18 per Kg Rs 13 per Kg

Pulse (Arhar Phool Brand) Rs 42-44 per Kg Rs 38 per Kg