Hotel bills not decreasing even when meat prices fall; price control bill to become solution

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The price of chicken increased by Rs 34 to Rs 168 per kg on May 14, 2024. With this, the price of chicken dishes in street food stalls to star hotels increased by 20 percent. Later, the price of chicken meat decreased several times. However, the price in hotels did not decrease, but increased in many places. Today, the price of chicken meat (in Thiruvananthapuram city) is Rs 124. A decrease of Rs 44 from last May. No one expects the prices in hotels to decrease accordingly.

The increase in the prices of groceries is reflected in vegetarian dishes similarly. The government is bringing the Food Price Control Bill to curb such trends to some extent. The draft bill states that the prices of hotel food items should be fixed based on the fluctuations in the market prices of rice, vegetables and groceries. The prices of hotel food items will also change only if the prices of food items change every three months.

Will it be sabotaged again?

The Food Price Control Bill was prepared in September 2013 during the Oommen Chandy government. However, it was not introduced in the assembly. The promise of introducing a food price control system was included in the LDF manifesto. Food Minister G.R. Anil is now trying to bring the bill by taking the initiative. The provisions of the bill will be finalized after considering the legitimate demands of hotel owners. However, people are worried that this too will be sabotaged at the last minute.