Mumbai: Prices of commodities unaffected

Even as traders remain unrelenting in their ongoing strike against the local body tax (LBT), the prices of essential commodities across the city have remained largely unaffected. Naresh Kamath reports.

Even as traders remain unrelenting in their ongoing strike against the local body tax (LBT), the prices of essential commodities across the city have remained largely unaffected.

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Food grains such as rice, jowar and dal continue to be sold at the same rates. According to Kirit Gala, owner, Ashu Ratanshi and Company, the rates of all commodities remained the same except sugar, the rate of which has been hiked to Rs42 per kilogram from Rs38 last week.

“We are getting regular supplies except the three days when the agricultural produce marketing committee (APMC) market was shut. During that time, we used our storage stock,” said Gala. Shopkeepers say one of the reasons for the unchanged rates was malls, which continued to offer discount on the items.

“There is so much competition and the consumer has become aware of options. We have to think twice before hiking rates,” said Gala. According to the APMC, it was the traders who had to bear the brunt of the losses.

“Even during the strike, we were getting regular supplies but could not sell off. Now we are trying to dispose of our stock at a loss,” said Jayesh Vora, director, APMC (grain markets).

Against all odds, traders continue to remain adamant in their fight against LBT, which is all set to replace Octroi from October 1.