Ceiling imposed on profit margin; hoarders warned
The State Government has decided to withdraw collection of fees on potato, onion and other vegetables being collected by the Regulated Marketing Committees (RMCs) under the Cooperation Department as part of a strategy to contain the rising prices. Very soon, a formal notification would be issued to this effect, said Department Secretary Bishnupada Sethi.
Besides, the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department also imposed a ceiling on the profit margin by wholesalers and retail traders, particularly on potato and onion, in the wake of the sky rocketing prices triggered by a short supply of the produce owing to the loss of crops.
In a step forward on market intervention to neutralise the soaring prices, Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs Secretary Madhu Sudan Padhi discussed the present market situation at a meeting with traders belonging to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack here and on ways to tackle the price rise. The Cooperation Department Secretary also attended the meeting which was held on Saturday last.
According to sources, Padhi urged the traders not to resort to hoarding of potato and onion and asked them to sell the produce at reasonable wholesale and retail prices by reducing the profit margin.
Padhi on Monday said that the wholesale and retail traders were asked to limit the profit margin in case of potato at Rs 2.50 and Rs 3 respectively
Vegetable cess to be waived to check soaring prices and in case of onion the profit range should be around Rs 3.50 and Rs 4 per kg to help the consumers get the two essential commodities at reasonable prices.
However, the traders sought the Government to give tax relief on vegetables, potato and onion coming from outside. Particularly, they wanted total withdrawal of collection of RMC fees on vegetables and other agri-produces.
Padhi said that the high price of onion would stay for some time due to destruction of crops in the producing areas outside owing to bad weather conditions. However, he hoped that the market situation would ease after one month as fresh onion crops would reach the market after harvest. He attributed the pricy situation to continuation of export of potato and onion to foreign countries, including Pakistan.
He said that the State Government has decided to inform the public every day the purchase and sale prices of the potato and onion through media. The Government will request both the print and electronic media to disseminate the daily price tag on the vegetables free of cost as a good will gesture, he said.
However, the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Secretary warned that the Government would launch crackdown on the hoarders and black marketers, who may try to fish in the troubled waters.