CM inaugurates Supplyco Onam fair

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has accused the Union government of weakening the public distribution system, even as the State government adopted strong market intervention initiatives to maintain the prices of essential commodities.

Inaugurating the Supplyco Onam fairs at Thiruvananthapuram on Monday (August 25, 2025), Mr. Vijayan blamed the Central government for refusing to provide even a single extra grain of rice during the festival.

“This is a continuation of the Central government’s refusal to offer additional food grains, even during the pandemic and devastating floods witnessed in the State. Their approach to food distribution has been dismal, and they have shown no interest in alleviating the public’s hardships,” he said.

The Chief Minister also underscored Kerala’s alternative policy that ensures more equitable distribution of food and other necessities. He added that the State will continue to prioritise welfare programmes and the well-being of its people.

“While other States may not have such efficient ration systems, Kerala’s government is ensuring that the public benefits from these schemes, especially during festive times like Onam,” he said.

Subsidised coconut oil

Presiding over the function, Food and Civil Supplies Minister G.R. Anil announced that Supplyco will sell coconut oil at a subsidised rate of ₹339 per litre, and non-subsidised rate of ₹389 per litre during Onam.

The State-run agency had recently decided to further cut subsidised Sabari coconut oil’s price by ₹10 per litre, while the non-subsidised price has been reduced by ₹40.

In preparation for Onam, Supplyco has stockpiled around 2.5 lakh quintals of food grains. In addition to the existing 8 kg of subsidised rice per ration card, an extra 20 kg of raw or parboiled rice will be offered at a special price of ₹25 per kg. The quantity of subsidised chilli has also been increased from 0.5 kg to 1 kg per cardholder.

According to the Minister, Supplyco recorded sales worth ₹168 crore in July alone as it distributed subsidised goods worth ₹60 crore to over 32 lakh consumers. This month, the sales have already touched ₹196 crore as on Monday. Supplyco expects to serve around 50 lakh consumers and achieve ₹300 crore in sales by the end of the month, he said.

Antony Raju, MLA, and Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran and Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department Secretary M.G. Rajamanickam also participated in the function.