Grams leave people black 'n' red

HYDERABAD: After onion prices, essential commodities such as rice, tamarind, black gram, red gram and other items are sure to take the fizz out of this Deepavali and Id. With the prices of essential commodities soaring, families may end up spending 20-30 per cent more per month. For instance, the price of tamarind, mandatory ingredient in 'rasam,' is ruling at Rs 30-35 per kg in the retail market.
Last year, it was Rs 20, said a retailer, K Ramanaiah. In the case of pulses, the situation is more or less similar. The price of red gram, the most widely used dal in the state, is ranging from Rs 28 to Rs 32 per kg. Last year, it never crossed Rs 30. The price of black gram, widely used in the making of 'idlis' and 'dosas,' is hovering around Rs 40 per kg.
"Depending on the variety, the price of black gram is in the range of Rs 30 to Rs 40 in the retail market," said a grocer, M Mahesh. So is the case with rice. A few months ago, the maximum price of super fine rice was Rs 19 per kg, but now it is Rs 22-23.
Even prices of ordinary varieties too have gone up from Rs 12 per kg to Rs 16-18 per kg. Adding to the homemaker's woes, even the price of sugar has gone up to Rs 21 per kg in the retail market. It was Rs 18-19 per kg a few weeks ago, but we are unable to get it for the same price now, rued housewife N Satyavathi of Balamrai, Secunderabad.