New Delhi: The government on Thursday said the price rise is limited to a few commodities like pulses and not all, and there is "wrong perception" that there is inflation in every food item.
"There is a wrong perception that there is a price increase in each and every food item in the country. That is not the case," Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said during a media interaction organised by Press Club here.
"There is an increase in prices of only pulses and some seasonal vegetables such as onion, while prices of rest of the essential food items, particularly wheat, rice and sugar are ruling lower," he added.
Attributing hoarding and black-marketing behind price rise in some of the commodities, Paswan said the government has decided to import pulses to increase availability, while it has also restricted export of onion by raising the minimum export price to USD 425 per tonne.
That apart, state governments have been asked to take strong action against hoarding of onion, pulses and other essential food items to control prices, he added.
Elaborating about wrong perception of inflation in all food items, Paswan said, "People raise hue and cry if potato prices increase by Rs 2 per kg. Nobody bothers if prices of potato chips goes up by five times."
There has been increase in prices of shoes, TV and other consumer durable products over the years but there has always been a debate on "agricultural commodities produced by poor farmers", he said and questioned, "Is not farmer entitled for better price?"
Due to short supply, retail prices of pulses have already breached Rs 100 per kg mark, while onion prices have also come under pressure owing to possible poor supply of quality onion till the arrival of new crop from mid-September.
India is dependent on import of pulses and edible oils, while it is self-sufficient in wheat, rice, sugar and milk.
