BRS Legislature Party deputy leader T Harish Rao has urged the Telangana government and the Centre to take immediate measures to control rising rice and essential commodity prices, alleging that fine rice prices have increased by 25 per cent in four months and placed an additional burden on households.
In a statement issued on Monday, Rao called for action against hoarding, black marketing and excessive profit margins. He also demanded that authorities identify and act against those responsible for what he described as the sharp increase in prices.
Rao questioned how prices could rise despite the State government’s claims of record crop production. He also raised doubts about the effectiveness of Telangana’s fine rice scheme, arguing that continued increases in open-market prices suggested consumers were not choosing the rice supplied through the programme.
The statement linked the price issue across the food supply chain, from farmers to consumers. Rao alleged that farmers were receiving only nominal returns under the Minimum Support Price system, while middlemen were earning more than Rs 8,000 a quintal. “The farmer is not getting a remunerative price and the consumer an affordable price, while middlemen are profiting,” he said.
He also cited prices for several other essential commodities. According to the figures in his statement, onions were being sold at Rs 70 a kg, garlic at Rs 240, groundnut oil at Rs 210, green gram at Rs 125 and red gram at Rs 165.
The allegations place the focus on both household food costs and the administration of agricultural markets. A 25 per cent increase in fine rice prices, if established through official market data, would affect the monthly budgets of households that depend on rice as a staple. The cited prices of pulses, edible oil and vegetables indicate that the concern extends beyond one commodity.
Rao urged the Centre and the Telangana government to intervene immediately to bring down the prices of rice and other essential commodities. The statement did not set out a specific enforcement timeline or identify any official investigation into the alleged hoarding, black marketing or margin increases. Any government action, including inspections, market monitoring or measures linked to the fine rice scheme, remains to be announced.
