Andhra Pradesh: Water Bottle Prices to Soar, Common Man Faces Summer Burden

• Andhra Pradesh Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers Association (APPDWMA) announces price hike for packaged drinking water bottles.
• Reasons cited include skyrocketing raw material prices for plastic, 20-30% increase in PET bottle, cap, and label manufacturing costs, and rising transportation burden.
• Each water bottle case to increase by approximately Rs. 25, leading to a Rs. 2-5 hike per bottle in retail.
• Decision effective immediately in Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam districts, soon to be statewide.
• Consumers urge government intervention as water is a basic necessity, manufacturers state no choice due to market conditions.