Kakinada: Green chillies out of reach for commoner

Kakinada: The price of green chillies have doubled making the customers unhappy over the souring prices in East Godavari district.

Prices of green chillies shot up from Rs 40 to Rs 80 per kg in the open market in East Godavari district. On Monday, green chillies were sold at Rs 66 per kg in Rythu Bazars. In the retail markets of Kakinada, the price was more than Rs 75 per kg. Before last week, they were sold at Rs 40 per kg in Rythu Bazars and 125 grams of green chilly was sold at Rs 10 in supermarkets.

According to wholesale dealers, import of green chillies from Guntur is stabilising the price. Taking advantage of the inadequacy of green chillies, local market people are exploiting consumers by increasing the price.

Due to exorbitant rates, people are compelled to purchase only small quantities like 100 and 150 grams per Rs 20 to Rs 25 respectively. Vendors in Rythu Bazars claim that short supply of green chilies in the State led to the increase in prices, adding that heavy rains had impacted the crop.

Speaking with The Hans India, Gandhinagar Rythu Bazar Estate Officer T Venkat Rajan said that at present Tuni and Lanka varieties are not available in the market and the crop is also not coming soon. At present, there are varieties like Sannalu, white and others available in Rythu Bazar and Berhampur variety chillies are not available in the market. He said that they are importing tomatoes from Madanapalli and Kanigiri of Chittoor district.

Rajamahendravaram Rythu Bazar Estate Officer S Roziya said that the prices of all vegetables including green chillies were shot up as this month happened to be marriage season. She said at present Sannalu and Bullet varieties of green chillies are available in Rythu Bazar. In Rythu Bazaar, the price of green chillies is Rs 55 per kg whereas the rate was Rs 40 last week.

Wholesale merchant Tekumdi Srinivasa Rao said that because of rains, Berhampur green chilli variety was not available. He said that a gunny bag of 100 kg chillies cost about Rs 6,000, which was just Rs 1,000 last year. He said they are getting green chillies from Guntur, Piduguralla and other areas on a large scale. But now imports were reduced and the rate has been enhanced. He said that the price of kg chillies is Rs 100 in the market. There are chances that the price of green chillies may reduce next month. There is no artificial shortage or scarcity of the green chillies in the market, he added.

Kalluri Rama Mohan Rao, a resident of Rajamhendravaram said, "Depending on the supply, the price of chilies tends to fluctuate and we do not have much of an option but to buy chillies because they form an essential part of every kitchen."