In spite of measures like ban on export of agri commodities and relaxation of import duties, prices of most food items have continued to rise.
Over the past one month, retail prices of pulses, rice and mustard oil have moved up by 3-9 per cent.
This despite the all-time high output of rice, pulses and oilseeds. Potato and onion prices have also moved up by 10 per cent in a month.
Agricultural experts have indicated that prices of pulses, rice and edible oil may continue to rise till the arrival of the kharif crop by September- end.
The government has taken a host of steps since this March to contain inflation, which has continued to rise. It banned export of non-basmati rice and maize and withdrew Customs duty on edible oil.
It also tried to control export of basmati rice by imposing a minimum export price (MEP) and revising the MEP of onion twice in July. The onion MEP was hiked from $160 per tonne to $185 a tonne from July 1 and by $50 to $235 a tonne very recently.
Edible oil prices are likely to soften with the rollout of a subsidised edible oil programme for below poverty line and above poverty line families on July 28.
Under the scheme, each such family will be entitled to one kg oil every month. The price will be subsidised by Rs 15 per kg. The union food ministry expects an offtake of one million tonnes edible oil under the programme at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore to the central exchequer.
While wheat prices have remained stable at Rs 13 a kg over past one month, there has been a marginal increase in prices in some areas.
Union Food Minister Sharad Pawar said last week that the government was planning to sell up to six million tonnes wheat in the open market.
