COVID Impact: Prices of essential items soar in Dhubri

A CORRESPONDENT

DHUBRI: People may be living in fear of the second wave of COVID-19 in the country but there are hay days for a section of grocery wholesale dealers as prices of all essential commodities are sky-rocketing. Hoarders too have swung into action to reap a good harvest if a lockdown is declared in the days to come.

Though the situation COVID-19 in Dhubri district is not as alarming as in several other districts of Assam, yet 42 positive cases have been detected in Dhubri district till Monday.

However, a section of unscrupulous traders dealing in food commodities is all set to make a lot of money.

In last three days, prices of essential commodities have scaled up while the Dhubri District Food & Civil Supplies Department appears to be a mute spectator. A cursory survey carried by this scribe shows how prices food materials in the wholesale market are soaring, as also in retail shops.

On April 16, the price of masur dal was Rs 70 per kg but on April 19 it shot up to Rs 100 per kg. Price of sugar has increased to Rs 45 per kg from Rs 40 per kg; price of moong dal is Rs 130 now while earlier it was Rs 100. The price of mustard oil (Engine brand) was sold at Rs 155 per litre earlier but now it is sold at Rs 175 per litre.

When asked about the increasing prices of essential commodities, an owner of a retail grocery shop of Dhubri town, Madhu Mahato said that wholesale dealers were now charging high prices."We don't have any option; else, how will we run our business ? It is not that the retailers are earning much, as our profits are the same now as compared to last week. We are just completely helpless in this situation," added Mahato.

Owner of sweet and confectioners in the town, Amitabh Ghose also said that he along with other businessmen in the sector were finding it tough to carry on their business. He attributed this situation to the hoarders and black marketers who, speculating a lockdown in the days to come, were trying to earn a huge profit. "Despite increase in the prices of commodities in the market, we can't immediately increase the prices of our sweets and confectionery items," resented Ghose.

When a section of wholesalers in the district were contacted, they informed that the wholesale prices of essential commodities in the mandis (wholesale markets) in other States had shot up along with transportation charges. "We have no other way but to procure the essential commodities at high prices from there and bring them here to keep the stocks available so that if lockdown is announced, we can supply the food items. Further, we have nothing to do with the black marketers and we don't know how they are doing all this under the nose of the district administration," they said.

When contacted and appraised about the rise in prices of essential commodities, Dhubri Deputy Commissioner Deba Kumar Kalita assured to take action against it

"I am going to tell the Food and Civil Supplies officer to call a meeting of wholesalers of essential commodities and take stock of the situation and bring prices under control," Kalita further assured.

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