North News
New Delhi, January 17
The Central government is taking pre-emptive measures to maintain price stability in essential food commodities, ensuring affordability for consumers and steady returns for farmers. The production of key crops such as pulses and onions in 2024-25 is projected to increase, driven by favorable monsoon rains and weather conditions. Tur dal production is expected to reach 35.02 LMT, a 2.5 percent rise from last year’s 34.17 LMT. The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has already sanctioned procurement of Tur for the current marketing season. Similarly, Chana and Masur production is anticipated to benefit from good sowing conditions and favorable soil moisture. Kharif Moong production is estimated at 13.83 LMT, reflecting a 20% increase compared to the previous year’s 11.54 LMT. Onion production during the Kharif and late Kharif seasons is also projected to improve due to increased sowing, while Rabi onion sowing is progressing well. Potato cultivation is advancing steadily, supported by favorable climatic conditions.
Retail inflation ended 2024 at 5.22% in December, significantly lower than the peak of 6.21% recorded in October. Food inflation also moderated to 8.39% in December, down from 10.87% in October. The annual average retail inflation rate for 2024 stood at 4.95%, marking a decline compared to 6.69% in 2022 and 5.65% in 2023.
The government’s focused efforts on food price management have been instrumental in navigating the challenges of 2024, ensuring both consumer affordability and farmer profitability.
