Chapatis, rotis, and parotas are not cheap at Sabarimala: Food items with huge GST discounts facing price hike during pilgrimage season 

PATHANAMTHITTA: Food items that have received a big discount in GST are facing price hikes in Sabarimala. The district administration has increased the prices of food items sold in shops in Sannidhanam, Pampa and Nilakkal by up to Rs 3.

Some beverages and food products, including juice, have been exempted from GST. Protests have erupted among pilgrims over the authorities' increasing prices instead of reducing them accordingly. Prices of chapatis, rotis, and parotas, which have been exempted from GST, should be reduced. As the GST rate has been reduced from 18 percent to 5 percent, the price of fruit juice products should be reduced by Rs. 5 to 10 and bottled water by Rs. 2.

The prices of food items were increased during the Sabarimala pilgrimage season in previous years to take into account the cost of moving goods and the increase in taxes. There is no need to increase the prices this time as the cost has come down due to the tax exemption. Since fuel prices have not increased for more than a year, the cost of moving goods has also not increased.

Sabarimala, Pampa, Nilakkal
New Price (Old Price in brackets)
Lemon Juice- 22, 22, 21 (21,21,20)
Apple Juice- 57, 55, 53 (55,54,52)
Orange Juice -63, 53, 50 (60,50,48)
Pineapple Juice -50, 48, 41 (50,48,41)
Chapathi (one) -15, 14, 11 (15,14,11)
Poori (one) -16, 15, 14 (14,12,12)
Parota (one) -17, 14, 12 (16,11,11)