Rising food prices strain Kashmir households as consumers seek market regulation

SRINAGAR — The relentless rise in prices of essential food items is placing an increasingly unbearable burden on ordinary households across Kashmir, with milk, eggs, vegetables and fruits becoming costlier and leaving families struggling to manage even their daily kitchen expenses.

From breakfast to dinner, the impact of inflation is being felt in almost every household. Items that were once considered basic necessities are increasingly turning into expensive purchases, forcing families to cut down on quantities, compromise on their food budgets and reconsider everyday spending.

The price of an egg tray has reached Rs 230 in local markets, adding to the mounting pressure on household budgets. Milk prices have also been revised, while consumers continue to face high prices of vegetables and fruits, making routine grocery shopping an increasingly expensive exercise.

For salaried employees, daily wagers, pensioners and families dependent on limited incomes, the situation is particularly difficult. While household incomes remain largely unchanged, the cost of maintaining a kitchen continues to climb, leaving little room for savings or other essential expenses.

"What has particularly angered consumers is the apparent absence of effective market regulation," said a consumer to the news agency KNT. Questions are being raised over who monitors the prices being charged by traders, whether regular market inspections are being conducted and what action is taken against those found overcharging customers.

Consumers say there appears to be no effective mechanism to ensure that prices remain reasonable or that traders adhere to prescribed rates. In the absence of visible and consistent enforcement, market conditions are increasingly being perceived as arbitrary, with ordinary buyers left to bear the consequences.

The concern is not merely about the increase in the price of one or two commodities. It is the cumulative burden of rising prices across almost every essential category that is breaking the financial back of ordinary families.

People are questioning the role of the concerned departments and market regulatory authorities, asking why consumers are repeatedly expected to absorb price increases without any visible intervention to protect their interests.

"The administration needs to move beyond routine assurances and undertake regular market inspections, verify prevailing rates, check for unjustified profiteering and ensure that consumers are not exploited," the consumers said.

The consumers said that access to affordable food is a basic necessity, not a luxury. "When milk, eggs, vegetables and fruits become increasingly difficult for ordinary families to afford, the issue goes beyond market fluctuations and becomes a matter of public concern demanding immediate attention," they added.

The article first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse at https://kashmirpulse.com/jk/kashmir/rising-food-prices-strain-kashmir-households-as-consumers-seek-market-regulation/117381.html