Prices of onion, vegetables skyrocket

Rajamahendravaram: Common man is suffering as prices of onions and vegetables are skyrocketing. Onion prices increased four times in the last 10 days.

Grade-1 onion prices range from Rs 30 to 40 per kg in the Rajamahendravaram wholesale market while retail trades sell for Rs 60. Low-quality, small-size onions are being sold at Rs 32-36 per kg in Rythu Bazars.

Maharashtra onions are mainly sold in the vegetable markets of the undivided East Godavari district. Bellary and Kurnool onions are rarely available in the market. They are visible only for three months of the year.

As Maharashtra onions are available throughout the year, all the markets depend on them. Moreover, Maharashtra onions are bigger in size.

However, the import of onion to the wholesale markets in Rajamahendravaram has decreased significantly in the last few days. Merchants say that new wholesale markets have been established around Rajamahendravaram and they are bringing Maharashtra onions directly to those markets.

Due to this, there is a shortage of onion loads for the local market. They say that the prices will come down only when the onions hidden in the godowns come out. For a few days, they used to come to houses in autos and vans and sell five or six kilos of onions at Rs 100. Now, they are not seen in the streets.

Vegetable prices have also increased. A few days ago green chillies went up to Rs 80-90 per kg. Now, the price has been reduced to Rs 60. Although the prices of green chillies have decreased slightly for the past three days, the price of tomatoes has increased again. The price of a kilo of tomato is Rs 60.

Tomatoes are coming to the markets from Chittoor district and Karnataka region. Dommeru Brinjal is priced at Rs 60 per kg. The price of okra is Rs 50, bitter gourds are Rs 60, ridge gourds are Rs 70 and green peas are up to Rs 100.

Farmers say that the production of vegetables is minimal due to high temperature. It is said that if there is heavy rain in the coming monsoon season, there is a possibility of more shortage.