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Editor's thought.......

Last month we reflected briefly about the use of pesticides in and around our Gham’s farms and orchards (and throughout the rest of India), which created a number of responses from our readers. In particular, the present high cost of living seems to be a subject close to everyone’s pocket or purse whether you are the urban poor, labourer, farmer, city dweller or merchant.

At the local level our people are not really interested in the global factors contributing to food prices, nor with statistical data showing rolling 12 month food inflation running at over 8.22%. What is of interest is that the people who are at the lower end of the income scale have no choice but to use over 50% of their monthly income for basic food, which leaves little for other basic life necessities. Further to that point, at this lower end of the spectrum these people have not gained from our state or country’s economic growth of the last decade or so. In fact, they seem to have remained financially the same or are worse off as the era of droughts. Yes, we can all remember the then ever present seasonal droughts and thus crop failures our farmers experienced in 80’s and mid 90’s.

For all the local chai, pan & bidi shop talk of the reasons for the food inflation, there are some widely known factors that are affecting food inflation in the whole of India. The three major ones; Firstly, approximately 40% of farm produce perishes before reaching markets. Secondly, there is known shortage of “godowns” and such large storage facilities. Thirdly, the antiquated Public Service Distribution network just fails to transport our produce. If there was any consolation to the difficulties that we face then it is the fact that over the last 4 months there has been a steady decline in food costs; by means of inflation increases at the lowest rate in more than two years, reflecting a firm downtrend in prices. Though, that comfort will only be short lived as the wider picture is of expensive food costs on the world market and locally which will defy gravity.         

On to another matter and some users of the website have enquired as to the use of the IPLocations displayed on the right pane. That utility only serves a cosmetic function as it just displays the City, State and/or Country from where the website is accessed. In short, we don't know who you are!

 

Until next time.

Yours faithfully

Editor - editorial@bakharla.com

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