Daily Express ‘Send your letter Basness (9) Englovmert (121) itor) Real state (170 ‘Computers (4) ‘Motices (15) Personal 0) Mscelaneous (25) Second-hand (3) ‘ocal Tobago (83 ution (48) [ee nt aemae Unfair treatment of consumers JAN LAMBIE Wechesday, November 42085 IN APRIL 2015, National Flour Mills announced that for the year ending December 31, 2013, profits were $18.36 milion and for the year ending December 31,2044, profits were $21.76 milion . That was good news for NFU, for National Entorprises Ltd, and for its shareholders Fiom 2004 to 2007, NFM expetienced losses, with ihe 2007 loss being $8.4 milion “Those losses were attibuted to a 70 percent increase in the price of grain and ‘an increase in the price of soybean oll on the werd market, dus fo severe ‘drought in he US, Canada and Argentina, its main sources of supply of viheat ‘anc com and consumers were mace t pay higher prices for Tour rice, soyoean oil, and animal feeds ‘Since then not only have the levels of production of wheat, corn and seybeans increased but thors has been significant docrozsos in world markot prices for fice and soybean oi In 2008, the FAO Food Price Index stood at 201.4 points and in 2011 it nad increased to 229.9 points Since September 2014 when the indox was at 192.7 points, there has been a continuing decline in the prices of basic food items and in soybean cil and by ‘September the index hao declined signitcanty 10 156.3 points. NFM nas Daen eying signicandy lover prices for ts supplies and, with no reduction in prices: fo consumers, has been experiencing high annual promis as reported in tie media. Honever, I believe some ofthese profis should have been passed on to ‘consumers through lowor retail pricas for lout, rice, soybean cil. and animal feeds. And the bonuses paid to board members of NFM should be shown in its publisned nancial statements ‘The ediorial ofa daly nevispaper on October 9, expressed the opinion that for “far too long the slightest domestic or international price movement has been used ae an axcuce fo cfiva Up prices However consumers are seldom, if ever, givan the benefit of price cuts when sitions change. ~ This. my opinion, is aS a resull of the complacency of ‘consumers who. as a group, rarely take stiong objection to such unfair treatment + Gunman on bie strikes + Behind the sent carta 1+ Arming asbestos confusion «+ Extended opening houts at Cause Swining Pol ‘OPEN DURING HOLIDAYS: Eatin Minater Cr Tm ‘copeesingh et frm Photos of the day Photos ofthe week Other galleries Have somethin to say? Gi here tl veoh now!Ww enuube Ww une Up BLES. Howaver, consumers are seldom, f evat, given the benaft of price cuts whan sfuations change. ~ This, in my opinion. iS as a result of the complacency of ‘Consumers wno, a @ group, rarely lake sirong objecton tp such unfair treatment Here is anomner example of such testment of consumers wimnout any prevents action by the Consumer Affais Division, despite several wien compiaints being lodged by me wth the relevant minisry over the past eight years. From time to time this minsty spends @ great ceal ot taxpayers’ money In Dublishing ful-page, ful-colour advertsements to promole an’ image of self as doing a good job in protectng consumers ‘rom exploitation. | am not satisfied that t has done anything to protect purchasers of frozen chicken and frezan ‘chicken pars tom being robbad of miions of dollars anny The law requires that the weight ofthe contents of each individual package must bbe shown on the outside of the package. This is not being done by many retail utets In 2074, | sought the intervention of the Ombudeman. In a response to te ‘Ombudsman, the Consumer Afirs Division agreed that the veight requirement was notbeing adnered to by many outets But here is the “shocker: @ senior oficial said the enforcing agency was the Food and Diugs Division and not te Consumer Afairs Division. What an ‘anomaly ‘And appsrenty nothing is being done to correct this, [Us my hope mat dunng the term ofthis new Government this un‘air teatment of buyers offiazen chick-en andr oz n chicken parts will cease ‘ave a prem ? tielp& ust phone call aay. ‘Greckemesgency phone numbersUSL UAD See DAY ein Gas agencies exploit consumers, fake shortage TRICHY: Lice people of other pars inthe state who are strugeling hard to get a gas connection, or an LPG refll, people of Trichy t00 are finding the going tough, Complaints are pourtng in from many parts ofthe city that cas agentes are dolaying supply oF LPG cylindors duc ta the constant raacon thatthe thvoe major oil companies, Indian Ol Corporation Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and Bharath Petrcleum Corporation Limitad have led to supply encugh stecketo thom, A colvery boy of 8 gas agency inthe city said tneir agency stopped issuing now connections for the past two months. Butbooking cf new connections with gas stove was geing on. Migrants tothe city wate badly aflacted and wate being forced tollve without cooking gas Aelvacato § Saravanan fram Trichy echoed the same and detailed his biter experience white bying to get a gas connection fecenily. "Gas agericies ate utlising the situation of consumers who are badly in need of a ges connection to sell products such as gas stoves of a particular brencl, Some agencies are fercibly seling cooking ols white registeting for gas conectians. Even though they buy thei products. they have to watt fora ong time to get the connection. Lixewise, those Who register for rfileylinders are aiso facing short supply. Consumers are fed up and are forced to tap the black market. tobe paying off” he a Anather shacking incidant is that domestic eyinders ara boing civerted for ‘comestc cytinaers can De commercial purpose in la attibuted to viclaton of rules. Officials of ol companies shouls kacp vill to stop the menace, he charged. When contacted, an official of « major oll company sald gas agencies were prowding numoers. The shortage {gas connections te those who 1ogittered before March 31. The rost would be given on seniority basis Follow / Like us at Gtimesofingia vt ‘Most Popular Sgn ies EIT a? fe \ Dit Oban stra zona PR nto From around the Web