Mysore/Mysuru: In yet another shock to the common man who is already reeling under rising prices of essential commodities, Mysuru Hotel Owners have decided to hike the prices of food items.

The hotel owners cite increase in prices of vegetables, power tariff hike, rising prices of dals and cereals, hike in water tax and increasing maintenance costs, for their decision. With this, the prices of food items is certain to become more costlier.

According to hotel owners, the Hotel Industry had just picked up from the COVID pandemic, when it was confronted with the price rise of essential commodities, food articles and other necessary inputs.

Pointing out that the prices of provisions has risen by 20 percent, rice by 12 percent, vegetables by 30 to 40 percent, coffee and tea powder by over 20 percent, they said that they are also expecting a hike in milk prices shortly. Noting that power tariff has risen by more than 60 percent in the past couple of years, they said that water and sanitation tax too has risen considerably, resulting in increasing maintenance and overhead costs.

Maintaining that the price of hotel food items was last hiked two years ago, they contended that though prices of essential commodities and maintenance costs rose since then, they did not go for a price hike, taking into consideration the interests of customers. But now, they have no choice other than hiking the prices of food items by at least 5 percent, according to Mysuru Hotel Owners Association President C. Narayanagowda.

Continuing, Narayanagowda said that though it has been decided to hike prices, it is left to the discretion of the hotel owners on when to hike the prices.

Stating that the Association has appealed the Government to roll back power tariff hike, he said that, however, the Government is yet to respond positively to their plea. Asserting that hiking of food prices has become inevitable for hotel owners considering the rising costs of food articles, taxes, power tariff, maintenance costs etc., he said that the price hike is very much needed for overcoming losses.