GST on non-branded edibles set to hit kitchen budgets

The recent spurt in rates of edible items has come after the decision of imposing GST on non-branded atta, dal and rice.

Lucknow The decision to impose GST on atta (flour) and other non-branded edible items is going to have an impact on the grocery bills of households. Kitchen budgets have already started going awry as prices of main items have seen around 5 to 10% hike in rates. Price of wheat flour in whole sale market has gone up from ₹2350 per quintal to ₹2550 - ₹2575 per quintal, while rates of dal arhar have shot up from ₹87 per kg toRs 93 per kg. The rates of kali urad have shot up from ₹73 t0 ₹80 per kg , hari urad has gone up from ₹106 to ₹130, chana dal has gone up from ₹51 to ₹53 and sugar from ₹38 to ₹40.

The middle-class kitchen is likely to suffer most as rates of domestic LPG cylinder have also gone up by ₹50. (Pic for representation)

The recent spurt in rates of edible items has come after the decision of imposing GST on non-branded atta, dal and rice.

Bharat Bhushan Gupta, president of Lucknow Dal Mill Owners’ Associationsaid, “Dals and pulses in Lucknow are supplied from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Supplies have shrunk due to a weak crop and lack of foreign stocks. The government must decide on import of pulses or the rates are going to soar.”

Sandeep Bansal, president, Uttar Pradesh Udyog Vyapar Mandal, said, “Prices will increase further now once the GST on edible items is imposed. Even before the implementation of GST, flour millers increased the price by ₹100-150 per quintal. In Lucknow, non-branded flour, which was available from ₹2350 to 2500 per quintal, has seen a jump to ₹2450--2550. Traders are apprehensive that after the implementation of GST, the price will increase by five to six rupees per kg.”

He said, “The retail price of normal rice has also shot up . Rice mills have already increased the price by Rs.3 per kg to Rs.150 per quintal.”

Sandeep Bansal said, “The effect of GST would be felt all over the state. In Prayagraj, flour is being sold at ₹2500 per quintal, while maida has gone up to ₹2550. In Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Kanpur too the rates have increased.”

Semolina has also become expensive at ₹150 a quintal.

Meanwhile, the middle-class kitchen is likely to suffer most as rates of domestic LPG cylinder have also gone up by ₹50.

Meera Yadav, a housewife said, “The prices of essential commodities have shot up and due to corona income has already shrunk. People are not getting full salaries so some dishes have gone out of the platter. Now the government has attacked out ‘roti’ too. This is not a good thing.”