One cutting....!

A few days back when the prices of sugar were hovering around all time high and milk prices going up marginally I thought that it’s a conspiracy by “Sugar and milk to make my tea dearer”

The earlier advocacy still remains true but this time milk has surpass in the conspiracy race and left behind sugar. In last few months the milk prices has gone up by at least 20% indicating that demand for milk based products has gone up while supply haven’t. I’ve never encountered the milk prices coming down once jacked up as they are not like oil prices wherein the pricing is governed by international demand and supply mechanism.

With the recent hike in milk prices the "Cutting Chai" branded lingo for ½ cup of tea traded in every Indian roadside tea-stall; a favorite pass time companion for many got dearer by 1 rupee. Though the price for milk has gone up by 2 rupees a liter but the vendors have increased the price of cuppa by 1 rupee.

With rising prices of ingredients of Cuppa the stall owners adopted the standard price metrics of multinationals (MNC’s way), they reduced the size of the Cuppa strategically and marginally raised the price. This they did this to keep themselves floated and without compromising on their profit margins.

A cutting chai from a road side stall is integral part of daily routine for many and with monsoon setting in; everyone cherishes to have a cup of tea at such stall. A perfect atmosphere also adds the urge to visit a stall; dark clouds covering the skies, cool breeze creating a lovely atmosphere; putting denizen into highs with a feeling of ecstasy; and stalls become favorite networking joints, chit chat points and places to relax and cherish the movement….