The New Nation - Internet Edition

PRICES of edibles such as rice, cooking oil and lentils are still rising much to the detriment of the millions of humble consumers when they remain in great expectation that the present government, unlike any other for its commitment to the public good, will do something concrete and at the earliest to save them from the price hike. Notwithstanding what people desire so deeply, it is also true that price control is a complex task. It is not easy to take swift and surgical actions in response to it to improve conditions overnight. The normalisation of prices needs to be tackled at many levels and exercising the utmost care so that markets can function smoothly, specially without taking a fright.

It was alleged that imports of essential goods dropped drastically in the wake of the operation of the security forces. The Adviser concerned contradicted this view to furnish figures that import operations of these goods continue to be reasonable so that no crisis could occur. In that case, other allegations need to be acted upon such as the price syndicates which are considered to be still alive. If this is really a valid proposition, then it should be examined very thoroughly and promptly followed up by the taking of appropriate actions immediately. The goal should be deactivating unholy syndicates. At the same time, this task will have to be done delicately without causing major disruption in the supply chain. Therefore, the approach needs to be gentle arm twisting and persuading of these importers to play by the rules or face the prospects of penalties. Meanwhile, the government should complete preparations to cancel the import licences of unscrupulous importers. Progressively, the aim should be one of replacing some of the importers who are clearly identified with hoarding and profiteering activities with genuine businessmen who can be relied upon for their ethical conduct.

For now, the current importers of goods in everyday use must be obliged to recognise and prove that the duty concessions they receive in respect of various items, would be duly passed to the consumers in the form of lowered prices reflecting the duty cuts. The Adviser concerned stated that prices of goods in the market places would be hanged after taking into account their duty reductions, actual transportation costs and other factors. But hanging of this chart in clear view of the buyers is only one side to the picture. Getting the full utility of it will depend on the enforcement of the declared prices in the charts. Any failure in this respect should lead to penalties to be paid by the deviant shop operators. Only such a thorough and well-laid system of price control will stand a chance of functioning well and delivering the benefits to consumers. However, great care will need to be taken to do these things with patience and not too bluntly so that unnecessary panic is not created in the markets.