Skyrocketing price of essential vegetables at Bengal markets leaves consumers distressed

Kolkata: Skyrocketing prices of essential vegetables in the local markets in West Bengal, especially in the big retail markets in Kolkata, have left the ordinary and middle- class customers totally distressed.

The prices of staple vegetables in all the retail markets of the city are having a northward trend.

The vegetables where the prices have touched the Rs 100 per kg mark or even priced higher include tomato, eggplant, beans and capsicum.

Those priced lower than Rs 100 but higher than Rs 60 per kg are lady's finger, cucumber, carrot, sponge gourd, and radish, and those costing up to Rs 60 a kg include parval, papaya, and gourd.

Vegetables where per- kilogram price has been maintained within Rs 50 include potato, pointed gourd, cabbage, and pumpkin.

Meanwhile, the prices of onion and garlic have too witnessed an upwards trend in the recent past. As per the rates in major retail markets in Kolkata, while the onion is priced at Rs 250 a kg on Tuesday, the garlic is being priced at around Rs 160 a kg.

The price of eggs is also quite high with a pair drawing price of Rs 13.

Members of the task force of the state government for control of prices of essential items in the retail markets point out that because of the inefficient rainfall and constant dry spell, coupled with scorching heat till the third week of June, has affected the production of the vegetables in the state to a great extent.

“Naturally the wholesalers after purchasing them from the farmers’ mandis at a comparatively higher price sold them at premium to the retailers. The retail cost became further high as the transportation cost from the wholesale markets was added to the final price,” a member of the task force said.

However, a senior official of the state Agriculture Department said that there is yet another reason besides insufficient rainfall that led to the fall of production of vegetables in the state.

“Because of the forthcoming panchayat elections, several agriculture workers, who are candidates, could not give time to the production of vegetables. They will return to their respective assignments after the elections are over and the results are announced. Hopefully, the situation will improve then since by that time adequate rainfall is expected also,” he said.