Increase in prices of flour, pulses and edible oil in Delhi
16-May-2025 11:59 AM
New Delhi. Due to irregular supply in the wholesale market, prices of grains, pulses, edible oil, and vegetable ghee have started rising in Delhi, leading to a natural increase in retail prices.
Some pulses have seen a price rise of over Rs 10 per kg. Branded vegetable oil and ghee manufacturers have halted supply against new orders, and local flour millers are also not accepting fresh bookings. Flour millers have increased prices of wheat products by at least Rs 4 per kg.
Wholesale prices are also on the rise. Rajma has gone up from Rs 118 to Rs 132 per kg, and tur (tuvar) dal prices have increased similarly.
Higher transportation costs have further added to the price surge. According to the General Secretary of the Retail Grocery Merchants Association, refined edible oil, vegetable ghee, and mustard oil prices have all increased by about Rs 10 per liter or kilogram due to lack of new supplies.
Flour prices in 10 kg packs have risen from Rs 290 to Rs 320. Branded flour and mustard oil millers are not dispatching new consignments, intensifying the supply crunch.
This is despite a heavy inflow of wheat and mustard in the wholesale markets and active purchases by millers and processors.
However, delivery of flour and mustard oil remains limited. Notably, wholesale prices of wheat and mustard have not risen significantly.
According to a prominent trade analyst, panic buying of essential items by consumers due to the recent India-Pakistan conflict is driving up demand for pulses and edible oils.
Although the war has ended, market conditions remain unstable, and prices are expected to soften only when the situation normalizes.
Additionally, there is a severe shortage of labor in Delhi’s wholesale markets. The number of workers in Majitha Mandi, Aata Mandi, and Dhab Mandi has fallen by more than 25 percent, hampering loading and unloading activities.
Business is expected to return to normal only after clear signs of stability emerge, which should lead to easing prices of essential commodities.