New Delhi. Despite the government's best efforts, the retail inflation rate of food items is not coming under control and the prices of major items like pulses, onion, wheat, potato are playing a major role in this. The retail inflation rate of May was recorded at 4.75 percent, but the retail inflation rate of food items was 8.69 percent. This year, the retail inflation rate of food items was 8.70 percent in April and 8.52 percent in March.

No relief expected from inflation

There is no possibility of relief in the retail prices of food items in June as the retail price of tur or pigeon pea has crossed Rs 200 per kg in the market. After the ban on export was lifted, the retail price of onion has gone up to Rs 40-60 per kg. The minimum support price of wheat is Rs 2275 per quintal, but wheat is being sold at the rate of Rs 2600 per quintal in the open market.

Due to weak purchase of wheat, the stock of wheat in the central pool is near 299 lakh tons whereas in the beginning of June last year this stock was more than 313 lakh tons. This means that the price of wheat may also increase in the coming months. This is the reason that despite the new Rabi crop, the retail price of all grains including wheat increased by 8.69 percent in May.

Pulses are being imported in large quantities to control prices by increasing supply. This year, there was a 172 percent increase in pulses import in April and 176 percent in May, but the retail price of pulses is constantly increasing. This increase rate was 17.14 percent in May. Suresh Aggarwal, President of All India Dal Mill Association, says that if the weather remains good in Africa, then there may be some reduction in the price of pulses because in July, tur dal is to be imported from countries like Zimbabwe and Kenya.