Going to the market in the morning with a bag in hand is no longer an ordinary task. Instead, it has become a major source of anxiety for the middle and lower income classes. Stepping into the market feels like every commodity is competing to outpace the other in price hikes. From rice, lentils, and oil to green chilies—everything is now beyond the reach of the common man. While income hasn’t budged even slightly, the daily burden of expenses is becoming so heavy that managing it has become nearly impossible. This unchecked rise in commodity prices has forced the general public to face a harsh reality.
A typical salaried employee or a day laborer has a fixed monthly income. Their list of expenses is drawn up even before the salary arrives at the end of the month. After paying house rent, children’s school fees, transportation, and medical bills, whatever remains is used to run the household for the entire month. But with the way prices of essentials are currently soaring, pockets are emptied before even half the month has passed. There is a vast disparity between the value of money and the weight of the market bag compared to a few years ago. Consequently, many are forced to reduce or entirely cut out nutritious foods like fish, meat, or eggs from their daily diet.
In our country, the middle class families suffer the most due to this price hike. They cannot speak of their hardships out of dignity, nor can they stand in line for government aid. Their sense of self respect is so strong that they walk around with a smile even if there is no food at home. Yet, the pain they feel inside when they hear a shopkeeper quote a price cannot be explained by any statistics. The ignominy of staring at a large fish only to return home with a small one or just a few vegetables can only be understood by those who fall victim to this situation every day. Their life is now merely a struggle for survival.
When the price of a dozen eggs becomes sky high, the worry of meeting nutritional needs echoes in every household. When wandering from one shop to another in hopes of saving a few pennies yields no difference in price, the common man’s confidence and mental peace are shattered. Many ask why the price of everything is rising like this. Often, attempts are made to shift the blame to the global situation. While it is natural for international price hikes to have some impact on our country, it is surprising that when prices fall in the world market, no reflection of that is seen in our local markets.
This is where the major weakness of the market system lies. A group of dishonest businessmen creates an artificial crisis to hike prices, which we call a Market Syndicate. In their greed for excessive profit, the pockets of common people are being picked. The sight of well to do people in long lines behind TCB trucks is no longer new. This market mismanagement proves there is a severe lack of strict monitoring and administrative governance. Dishonest traders know they can get away with a small fine, which they later recover from the consumers’ pockets anyway. There is no proper control over the excessive profit making from the wholesale to the retail level.
This abnormal rise in prices is also putting deep pressure on people’s mental health. When a father cannot fulfill a simple wish of his child, a sense of inferiority develops. Many families are now cutting back on education expenses or avoiding doctors despite being ill just to afford food. Entertainment has now become a luxury for the common man. When the price of vegetables goes beyond reach, one must understand that the market system has fallen under the control of an invisible force. This situation could increase social unrest and the tendency toward petty crimes.
Unless this artificial crisis—where prices are not reduced despite adequate stock—is stopped, the common man will not find relief. Although the government occasionally conducts showy raids, general consumers see no benefit. Controlling the market by only catching retail sellers is impossible. What is needed is to strike at the root of the syndicate circles and ensure that products can reach the market directly from the farmers. Ending the dominance of middlemen is the demand of the hour. Regular surveillance must be increased in cold storages to ensure no one can hoard goods.
The common people want to live with a bit of relief and buy essentials at fair prices. The primary responsibility of the government is to ensure this fundamental right of the citizens. Ultimately, the true identity of development is the improvement of the common man’s quality of life. If people cannot eat two square meals a day in peace, large buildings or roads hold no significance. To remove market instability, the administration must be strict and honest. It is crucial to ensure that the patience of the common man does not reach its breaking point. We hope for a day when market prices will be within reach and peace will return to every home. At the end of the day, ensuring a morsel of food and a bit of peace for the common man should be the core goal of all national planning and development.
