Govt frames ‘comprehensive’ rate-list for bakery products

By Hirra Azmat

Srinagar, April 5: Government has fixed a rate-list for all bakery products sold in Kashmir Valley.
Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department in consultation with Legal Metrology Department has specified the rate of bakery items including pastries, pizzas, sandwiches, muffins, cakes, and bakherkhanis.
An official from the department said the rate list describes “weight and rate of all bakery and confectionary items”.
“For the first time, rate list has been issued for all bakery and confectionery items in Kashmir. It is very comprehensive and has removed ambiguities that were prevalent in the past,” the official said.
As per the official documents, the list fixes the rates of bakery items ranging from milk and bread to special croissant.
Various kinds of pastries have been priced from Rs 40 per 80 grams to Rs 80 per 900 grams.
While as the price of different cakes, the rates have been fixed Rs 60 per 250 grams to 90 per 250 grams. Similarly, the pizza prices vary from Rs 200-300 (each having 20 centimeter radius).
The rate for chocolate cake has been fixed Rs 70 for 250 grams. Each chicken Kabab has been priced Rs 120.
The official said that bakery products are governed under Packaged Commodity Rules, which is a mandate of Legal Meteorology Department.
Deputy Controller Legal Meteorology Department, Kashmir, Tanveer Ahmad, said, “We have been conducting raids to ensure the quantity of products is maintained. The rate list has been issued and we will ensure that shopkeepers follow it and quantity is maintained.”
Assistant Food Commissioner, Hilal Ahmad Mir said, “We will ensure that quality of bakery is maintained. We have taken action against many bakery shops for selling poor quality bakery items under unhygienic conditions.”
Meanwhile, a shopkeeper who sells bakery items at Lal Chowk said that they were yet to adhere to the recently issued rate list.
“I think almost all the bakery outlets are selling bakery and confectionery without following the newly-issued rate list. We are not against selling products as per new rate list, which is first time for all bakery items. When everyone will sell, I too will follow,” he said.