Commodity prices have been rising uncontrollably in recent times. As a result, low-income people and the middle class have been finding it harder and harder to afford some of the most basic commodities. Even though prices have been rising, peoples' incomes have not gone up nearly as much.

The authorities should be doing a lot more to control prices. The lack of monitoring by the authorities, along with the dishonesty of powerful traders who are artificially increasing prices have led to a crisis that we have not seen for a very long time. Should things continue like this, we might see other social costs go up rapidly. Therefore, the authorities urgently need to expand their social-safety net programmes, as well as take immediate measures to bring prices back under control.