Food prices spiked in Jan but dropped towards year-end
Vendors display rates of commodities at the city’s largest grain market, the Jodia Bazaar. Photo: express
The year 2024 saw constant fluctuations in the prices of essential food items throughout the country.
At the start of the year, people grappled with record-high prices, especially of wheat flour. However, by the end of the year, flour prices dropped substantially, providing some relief. Besides flour, the prices of other kitchen items like dal mash, dal masoor, besan, sugar, and rice also witnessed a gradual decline.
On the other hand, the prices of dal moong, black gram, ghee, and oil spiked, adding financial strain on households.
According to the Wholesale Grocers Association (WGA), January 2024 saw the price of flour reach unprecedented levels: Flour No 2.5 was selling at Rs128 per kg; fine flour at Rs142 per kg; and mill flour was priced at Rs150 per kg. However, by December, these prices had slumped: Flour No 2.5 price dropped by Rs45 to Rs83 per kg; fine flour by Rs48 to Rs94 per kg; and mill flour priced decreased by Rs45 to Rs105 per kg.
Meanwhile, the prices of edible oil and ghee spiked during 2024, according to the WGA's chairman, Rauf Ibrahim. Loose oil price surged by Rs114 to Rs480 per litre, while branded oil rose by Rs125 to Rs550 per litre.
As far as pulses are concerned, the price trends were mixed: dal mash price dropped by Rs70 to Rs390 per kg; dal masoor saw a decrease of Rs50, settling at Rs250 per kg; besan witnessed the steepest decline of Rs95 to Rs240 per kg. Conversely, prices for dal moong and dal chana shot up: dal moong spiked by Rs75 to Rs380 per kg, while dal chana climbed by Rs85 to Rs320 per kg.
Similarly, sugar and rice prices provided some relief to consumers in 2024. Sugar, which started the year at Rs133 per kg, dropped to Rs127 per kg by December, while basmati rice prices stabilised at Rs386 per kg, while reductions in basmati tota rice brought slight ease to households.
Despite visible drop in some kitchen items, the overall price hike in other staples showed the challenges faced by people throughout the year.