Can you believe the ruling politicians in India regard the soaring price of onions to be a potential tool in determining their office?

An article in last week’s edition of The Economist spoke at length about India’s rising food prices and its relation to inflation.The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) suffered a defeat in a Delhi election after onion prices increased nearly six-times. That was in 1998. The present ruling coalition also fought an election amidst unfair rise in the price of food items including onions.

An average Indian would spend nearly three-fourth of their income in feeding their family . Food-price inflation is a serious cause of concern for this section of the Indian population. The annual food price inflation climbed to 10% from 7.6% a year earlier. Price of oil has risen 12%, while edible-oil prices have shot up 43% in just one year.

Food price inflation elsewhere in the world often results from extreme weather conditions but back home it is the “poor economic management”. Food price stability demands better roads and electricity. About 40% of fruits and vegetable often fail to make way to the market and rot on their way.

Organised retailing is a concept that India has to familiarise with.But with retail giants like Wal Mart’s being refused an entry into the Indian retail scene, would have been an encouraging sign.

Politicians campaigning before elections often make much hue and cry about trivial matters but fail to address issues that demand more attention. True, the indian economy is growing at the rate of 9.2% but why rejoice when rest of the country is battling the food price inflation.