India achieved the distinction of being the second fastest growing economy amid the global recession in 2009, but the joy was marred by the decade’s sharpest rise in food prices to the chagrin of common man. For a country that continued to lose on its exports throughout the year that has gone by, economy achieved a remarkable growth of about 7% (during April- September 2009) on the back of focused government...

DINDIGUL: People visiting the farmers market at NGO Colony near here will soon get an opportunity to buy traditional rural food items and homemade products besides vegetables. It would become a single point shopping centre for consumers, said Collector M. Vallalar. He was presiding over a function that marked the concluding day of 10th anniversary of the farmers’ market at NGO Colony here on Wednesday. Selling all items including groceries, masala items...

More than the return of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to power, the aam admi will remember the year 2009 for the back-breaking mehngai and the inability of the government to make dal-roti, sabzi and chini affordable for the masses. The unprecedented rise in the price of essential commodities, particularly pulses, sugar, milk and vegetables turned the year bitter for the aam admi. What was irksome for the people was...

Every time inflation hits the headlines, the political blame game begins. This time too, as food prices soar, everyone in the ruling coalition and the government is passing the buck. It is possible that there is no one guilty party and a combination of factors, involving several actors, is responsible for the current price spiral. Of all the proximate factors, the most important appears to be expectations. Each time prices...

The food price inflation in India, measured by the wholesale price index of food items, touched a 10-year high for the week ended November 28, 2009 when it crossed 19% on point-to-point basis over the corresponding week a year ago. The cereal prices were up by about 13%, but pulses are up by 42%, and vegetables by 31%, although potato prices shot up by 102%. This is getting way beyond...