Price hike drains out basic human attributes

A section of unscrupulous traders hikes the prices of many essential commodities like edible oil, chickpea, dried pea, date and sugar centering the holy month Ramzan, a common trend in every year unlike rest of the world. It is due to a lack of proper monitoring and poor management. Syndicates are active to raise the price of the essential commodities for excessive profiting. The government should be aware to control the price hike in the spike of Covid-19. Against this backdrop, Consumer Rights Protection has started surveillance. The price at which a product is bought and sold is already being scrutinised by sitting with the traders.
 Some big merchants create syndicates to keep the price up illegally. In absence of accountability, the dishonest traders have involved such practices to hike essential commodities ahead of Ramzan, noted economists observed. We know, people’s income has dropped due to the pandemic-induced economic slowdown and fresh restrictions on movement and economic activities. While keeping the prices of TCB’s products lower than in the open market is the main goal of government-initiated consumer marketing, TCB must ensure that there are no irregularities with their products. The government has to take steps to allay the fears of price hikes before Ramzan. The government must take legal action against illegal hoarders and market manipulators. Besides, we urge the traders to lower the essential commodity prices during this Ramzan and pandemic.
 More incentives should be given not only to the production side of the agriculture sector but its distribution side too. We need the stringiest action against the syndicates who create artificial crises in the market. Import duties on fundamental goods need to be reduced. It is true that the middle class is making compromises in their daily diet charts to make ends meet. The price hike of every essential is draining out our essential human attributes.