Are revival signs of rural economy for real or is it too early to call?

Many non-official parameters do indicate a rebound, but high inflation seems to hitting hard, eroding all gains

Satpal Singh, who runs a small milk business with three buffaloes in Jewar, near Noida, has seldom seen an increase in input cost as steep as it has been in the past few months.

Singh tells this correspondent over phone that dry fodder, which till last year was sold at around Rs 1,500-2,000 per tractor trolley, is now quoting at Rs 4,500-5,000.

The prices of other cattle feed such as mustard meal and similar mixes have gone up from Rs 2,000 a quintal to Rs 3,100-3,200.

“I'm not saying milk rates haven’t gone up, but their rise is still lower