Siliguri, 11th July: The increasing prices of vegetables have posed challenges for the middle class, prompting action from the task force in several districts following directives from the Chief Minister. On Thursday, the task force initiated monitoring efforts and raided markets in Siliguri.
Officials from the task force conducted inquiries into vegetable prices at both wholesale and retail markets. They engaged with traders at these locations to address the price hikes. Specifically, traders in the wholesale market were urged to reduce their commission rates on vegetable sales. Some were reportedly charging commissions as high as 8%, which were advised to be lowered to 3-4%.
It has been alleged that vegetable prices in retail markets are nearly double those in wholesale markets. However, upon inspection, some sellers purportedly adjusted their prices downwards in response to the task force’s scrutiny. This monitoring and intervention are expected to continue across different markets in Siliguri in the coming days.