JNM Journalist Hardeep Jamwal, Jammu
The ongoing tension in West Asia and its impact on global supply chains have now directly reached the kitchens of Jammu. Over the past three months, household kitchen expenses have surged by approximately 15 percent, heightening financial anxieties for families belonging to the middle and lower-income groups.
The continuous rise in the prices of daily essentials—such as cooking oil, spices, milk, curd, and paneer (cottage cheese)—has severely disrupted household monthly budgets. The impact has been most acute for families with limited incomes, whose kitchen budgets rely heavily on these essential commodities.
Jammu has recently witnessed a hike in milk prices. Cow’s milk has risen from ₹46 to ₹50 per liter; buffalo milk from ₹60 to ₹65 per liter; and mixed milk from ₹53 to ₹55 per liter. Meanwhile, the price of loose curd has increased from ₹60 to ₹70 per kilogram. Paneer is also now selling at ₹320 per kilogram, up from ₹290.
Cooking oil has delivered the biggest blow to household budgets. Mustard oil prices have skyrocketed from ₹180 to ₹235 per liter. A persistent upward trend is also being observed in spice prices: chili powder has risen from ₹230 to ₹265 per kilogram; turmeric from ₹150 to ₹165; and dry coriander from ₹140 to ₹160 per kilogram. The price of green cardamom, in particular, has surged from ₹3,000 to ₹3,500 per kilogram within just one month.
Trade organizations attribute this situation to the escalating tensions in West Asia, which have disrupted the availability of oil and gas. Increased uncertainty regarding maritime trade routes has driven up import costs—an impact that is now palpable across the entire supply chain, from the country’s major wholesale markets down to the retail markets of Jammu. According to the Jammu and Kashmir Dairy Farmers Association, the persistent rise in the costs of animal fodder, transportation, fuel, and other operational expenses has intensified the financial pressure on milk producers. They state that this price revision—the first in several years—has been implemented to shield farmers from incurring losses.
Industry observers believe that the impact of gas shortages and escalating production costs is not limited solely to food items. Rising costs for cement, steel reinforcement bars, and packaging materials are also further fueling inflation in the market.
This new wave of inflation has disrupted the household budgets of ordinary families in Jammu. Experts warn that unless the global situation normalizes soon, the prices of essential commodities could face even greater upward pressure in the coming months.
