Andhra Pradesh will soon distribute tur dal and palm oil at subsidised prices through ration shops, expanding the state’s response to rising food costs beyond its current onion and rice interventions, Civil Supplies minister Nadendla Manohar announced on Wednesday.
The announcement was made during the launch of subsidised onion sales in Vijayawada. The state is selling onions at ₹35 a kg through all 115 Rythu bazaars, after open-market prices crossed ₹70 a kg. Each consumer can buy up to two kg using Aadhaar authentication.
The Union government has agreed to supply 1.20 lakh metric tonnes of tur dal to Andhra Pradesh, according to the minister. The state plans to use this allocation to sell tur dal to consumers at lower prices through ration shops. Palm oil will also be made available through the public distribution system in the coming days, although the government has not announced its subsidised price or a specific start date.
Manohar said the government was monitoring price differences in the open market and was taking steps to prevent higher prices from increasing the financial pressure on ordinary families. He cited global developments, including wars, the oil crisis and the impact of El Niño, as factors being considered in the state’s price-monitoring efforts.
The onion programme is being supported by the Centre and the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation. The minister acknowledged that the first consignment supplied through Rythu bazaars had quality issues and said onions would be graded before sale. He added that steps would be taken to improve the quality of future consignments.
The state has also arranged sales of BPT super-fine rice through 400 special counters at ₹48 and ₹52 a kg in response to higher rice prices. Manohar said there was no shortage of rice or foodgrains in the country and claimed that adequate stocks were available for the next three years. He appealed to residents not to believe social media reports suggesting otherwise.
The expanded programme places ration shops and Rythu bazaars at the centre of the state’s effort to manage food-price pressures. Its effectiveness will depend on the timing of the tur dal and palm oil rollout, the prices fixed for consumers, the availability of supplies and the ability of officials to prevent diversion.
Manohar said officials were intensifying surveillance to prevent hoarding and the diversion of foodgrains and essential commodities to the black market. He warned that strict action would be taken against those involved in hoarding. The state has also set a target of procuring 37 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during the upcoming Kharif season.