Hyderabad: Rice prices in Telangana have risen faster than the national average over the past three months, with consumers now paying nearly Rs 10 more per kg than the countrywide average. Traders attribute the increase to concerns over crop prospects amid the El Nino effect, though experts say hoarding by private players is also contributing to the price rise.Data from the Union ministry of consumer affairs showed that the average retail price of rice in Telangana increased by 4.65 per cent between May and July, compared with the national average increase of 3.33 per cent during the same period.According to the data, the average retail price of rice in Telangana rose from Rs 51.66 per kg in May to Rs 54.06 per kg in July. Across India, the average retail price increased from Rs 42.92 per kg to Rs 44.35 per kg. Telangana’s average retail rice price during the three-month period stood at Rs 52.67 per kg, with consumers paying nearly Rs 10 more per kg than the national average in July.Rice traders said prices of almost all popular varieties, including ‘HMT’, ‘BPT’ and ‘RNR’, have increased by around Rs 10 per kg in recent months. Retail prices of fine rice varieties now range between Rs 54 and Rs 70 per kg, with premium variety ‘Jai Sriram’ selling at the higher end of the price band.“Prices have certainly gone up. This is certainly the El Nino effect. The crop has been impacted. If the crop is good in the coming months, prices will come down,” explained Chinnapu Reddy of the Telangana Rice Millers Association.However, Samarendu Mohanty, former adviser to the International Commodity Institute and founding director of Centre for Sustainable Agriculture and Development Studies, said the increase could not be attributed solely to production concerns.“In states like Telangana, where paddy acreage is quite good, prices should not rise too much. The current increase is not because of supply disruption. Hoarding by private players is also contributing to the rise in prices,” Mohanty elaborated.For consumers, the rise has translated into higher monthly grocery expenses, with rice being a staple in most households. Several buyers said the increase in prices of commonly consumed varieties such as HMT, BPT and RNR has added to the burden at a time when food inflation remains a concern.The rise in rice prices comes even as paddy cultivation has gathered pace across Telangana, with nearly 13 lakh acres brought under cultivation during the ongoing kharif season. The trend suggests that weather-related concerns and market-driven stocking have outweighed expectations of improved supplies.Among the southern states, Karnataka recorded the steepest increase in retail rice prices between May and July, with prices rising 13.6 per cent from Rs 49.37 per kg to Rs 56.09 per kg. Andhra Pradesh reported a 5.4 per cent increase to Rs 50.95 per kg, while Telangana registered a 4.65 per cent rise to Rs 54.06 per kg.Tamil Nadu recorded the highest retail price in the region at Rs 57.52 per kg after a 4.62 per cent increase, while Kerala saw only a marginal rise of 0.62 per cent to Rs 51.65 per kg.GFXJuly 2026 retail rice prices (Rs/kg):Tamil Nadu: Rs 57.52Karnataka: Rs 56.09Telangana: Rs 54.06Kerala: Rs 51.65Andhra Pradesh: Rs 50.95
