The increase in diesel price by more than Rs 8 over the last 12 days has led to a rise in transportation costs, directly impacting the prices of vegetables, fish and meat.
The anxiety began with LPG touching Rs 976 for a 14.2kg cylinder and diesel nearing Rs 90/litre last month. For Rajani Mukherjee, a homemaker, Sunday breakfast has turned bitter. For the first time in the past couple of yea-rs, she was forced to leave her family’s favourite luchi and begun bhaja out of the menu, introducing roti and sabji ins-tead. Mukherjee, a resident of Behala, is upset with the change since her 13-year old son Ratul is not fond of the new spread.
“A rise in the price of rice bran oil has forced us to alter the Sunday breakfast temporarily,” she said. Mukherjee’s husband, a primary school teacher, is the sole breadwinner.
The rising fuel prices have started affecting the kitchen budget. “Almost everything in the kitchen has become expensive in a month. The rise is sharp enough to make you lose your appetite,” said Sourav De, a filmmaker, who has been forced to dip into his savings to meet the rising expenses.
He bought an induction cooker to edible oils has been a major concern. According to Manoj Kothari, who runs a grocery shop in New Market, prices of edible oils — mustard, rice bran, sunflower and soybean — have gone up by Rs 25-30 in last few months. “While the reason behind price rise of sunflower oil could be interrupted supply of sunflower seeds from Ukraine, the rise rice bran oil price could be linked to rise in fuel price,” said Kothari. save on LPG but without much result.
Indrani Dutta, a homemaker from Maniktala, has been struggling to prepare her family’s weekend treat of tele bhaja. “The escalating price of edible oil has stopped us from inviting guests during weekends,” said Indrani.
Traders at city markets have conceded that the fluctuating price of In summer, irrigation depends on diesel pump sets. The cost to run these has risen manifold, along with expenses incurred on transportation of inputs. Similarly, fishing trawlers are paying higher energy costs for deep sea fishing. “All these factors are impacting the prices of vegetables, fish and meat,” said Kamal De, president, West Bengal Vendors’ Association.
