Producers and traders oppose price monitoring system for pepper

10-Aug-2024 04:26 PM

Kochi. The Union Ministry of Food and Consumer Affairs has decided to include pepper in the ambit of the price monitoring system, which has come into effect from August 1, 2024. But the producers and traders of pepper do not like this decision of the government and they are strongly opposing it.

They have demanded from the government that pepper should be kept out of the purview of the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) or Price Index Commodity as it does not directly affect the consumers or negligibly. The reason for this is that the per capita consumption of pepper is very low.

The Kerala unit (branch) of the Indian Pepper and Spices Traders, Producers and Planters Consortium has expressed concern over the government's decision and said that more control and limitation may be imposed for stock holding of pepper, which may be announced in the near future. This will have a direct adverse effect on the income of the producers.

The price of black pepper is moving high and fast in the global market, while in the domestic sector there is a huge difference between its wholesale and retail price. In view of this, producers and traders fear that the government may implement many control measures to reduce prices.

The consortium says that the government should make a concrete effort to control the prices of whole black pepper and its powder in retail packs, while black pepper should be kept out of the scope of all controls.

The chairman of the All India Spice Exporters Forum is surprised how the government included black pepper in the scope of the Essential Commodities Act because it is just a spice that enhances the taste of food items.

Its consumption is also very low. If the government offers a minimum support price for black pepper, it can provide relief to the producers.