Vegetable prices skyrocket in Vizianagaram

Vizianagaram: The price of vegetables continues to skyrocket as the production of crop is coming down due to end of rabi season in north Andhra districts. Tomatoes become dearer and now, the price of vegetable is around Rs 60 a kg in open market and Rs 50 a kg in Rythu Bazaars. Even brinjals, beans, carrot, beetroot also are being sold in same way.

The common man is unable to purchase the vegetables due to cutdown in salaries following corona-induced lockdown. Lady fingers are now sold at around Rs 40 a kg and ribbed guard is Rs 60 a kg in open market. Even bitter guard is also raised to Rs 45 a kg.

As a result, the lower middle-class people are unable to purchase tomatoes and other vegetables.

Nowadays even tank fish is available at Rs 130 a kg and street vendors are selling some unbranded fish varieties at Rs 50, Rs 60 a kg also.

Estate officer of R&B Rythu Bazar, Vizianagaram told actually the growing of vegetables is completed in rabi and the farmers will grow paddy, maize and some other crops in the same fields. Some farmers are growing tomatoes, brinjals, beans which would come to harvest in next two months.

Then the price once again will come down, he said. K Laxmi, a farmer-cum-retail vendor, said, "Actually I buy the tomatoes and other vegetables in wholesale market and sell them in streets. But due to high rates, I can't purchase them and resell them. If two or three kilos in the basket become rotten or damaged, I will incur huge loss and lose my investment too. So, I don't want to take risk."

K Vijaya, a housewife said,"My kitchen expenditure is doubled due to abnormal increase in prices of vegetables. On the other side, our monthly income has also come down. Salary of my husband is reduced due to lockdown. I have to adjust with less kitchen budget."