Essential commodities need more storage units: Maru

Navi Mumbai, Jan 8 (UNI) Navi Mumbai Essential Commodities Merchants' Association (NMECMA) has urged the Maharashtra Government to create over 10,000 storage houses for essential commodities like wheat, rice and pulses.

NMECMA President Navin Maru, who submitted a memorandum to Marketing Minister Harshwardhan Patil, said, ''Traders have welcomed the recent reports about the State Government's decision to set up 4,000 godowns in 25 onion producing districts. But other vegetables and essential commodities also need more storage houses across the state.'' Traders have appealed to the Centre and the Maharashtra Government to allow more land for construction of godowns in the vicinity of all producing areas in the state with zero per cent interest loan. If this is done, prices of major essential commodities would be cheaper at least by 50 per cent against the present sharp hike in prices of many essential items including vegetables.

Mr Maru further demanded that future trading in all essential items should be banned immediately.

Future market monitor, Forward Market Commission (FMC) should take immediate steps to stop future trading in all essential commodities, otherwise it could reflect an upward trend in all spot prices.

The inflation rate has been touching below ten per cent since the last few years. Recently for the week ended December 22, 2007, it increased to 3.50 per cent as against 3.45 per cent last week.

''Two decades ago, all retailers were selling vegetables at less than Rs 10 per kg, which is now more than Rs 20 per 250 or 500 gm,'' NMECMA Vice President P C Shah said.

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