Looking at ways to tackle food prices: Thomas

October 31st, 2011 - 10:28 pm ICT by IANS  

Sonia Gandhi New Delhi, Oct 31 (IANS) Expressing concern at double-digit food inflation, Food Minister K.V. Thomas Monday said he will take up the issue with the finance and agriculture ministries to find a solution.

“We are concerned about high inflation. We will sit together with finance and agriculture ministers and discuss which are the areas causing high inflation and work out what can be done,” Thomas told reporters.

Thomas had Sunday told IANS that the concern was in items like milk, meat, poultry and vegetables, shortage of which was pushing up food inflation.

He met Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar Monday to discuss the issue.

Food inflation touched 11.43 percent for the week ended Oct 15 raising concern within the government.

Thomas, who had a meeting with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on high inflation last week, said the food ministry will seek the help of cooperatives like NCCF and NAFED in controlling food inflation.

Consumer Affairs Secretary Rajeev Aggarwal said the ministry would propose more financial support to NCCF and NAFED in the 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-13 to 2016-17) to be able to provide all consumer items to people at subsidised rates.

Early this year, NAFED had sold onions at subsidised rates after prices of the vegetable abnormally peaked to Rs.80 per kg.

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