Open AccessDoes food inflation make difference in consumption pattern? An experience from rural Assam, India
Author(s) -
Rakesh Kota,
Nivedita Deka
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international research journal of agricultural economics and statistics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2231-6434
pISSN - 2229-7278
DOI - 10.15740/has/irjaes/11.2/226-232
Subject(s) - consumption (sociology) , allowance (engineering) , staple food , inflation (cosmology) , agricultural economics , economics , agriculture , food consumption , sugar , toxicology , geography , food science , biology , social science , operations management , physics , archaeology , sociology , theoretical physics
The study on food inflation and changing consumption pattern in Assam was conducted in Jorhat district of Assam during 2018. Data analysis from a random sample of 70 respondents showed that the consumption of rice, wheat, cooking oil, tea and eggs had increased while the consumption of lentil, sugar, milk, vegetables, fish and meat had decreased during 2016-17 over 2013- 14. The decrease in consumption was mainly due to food inflation during the period. However, as rice is the staple for the people of the state, despite of increase in price, there was no decrease in consumption. Due to decline in price of cooking oil, it was found to be consumed more. Further, increase in overall income during 2016-17 over 2013-14 helped the respondents to consume more eggs and tea. Except meat, for most of the food items, the respondents of the study area consumed comparatively less amount than the recommended dietary allowance. Marginal households were more affected by food inflation in comparison to small and medium households. Increasing supply of food items through public distribution system in subsidized rate would help in combating the food inflation in long run.