Khammam: Common man hit hard by high vegetable prices

Khammam: Soon after a little relief from the pandemic, the people are now getting busy with their works. The recent rains and floods have added trouble to the life cycle of the people. With the incessant rains, the common public seems to be suffering with drastic change in the vegetable prices. It is believed that a common man usually spends around Rs 400 towards vegetables per week but the scenario is totally different now. The vegetables vendors in the market has hiked the prices of the vegetables which is almost like a heavy burden on the common man.

The people of Khammam say that the prices of vegetables have increased to that of chicken and fish prices. They It is learnt that the rates of all vegetables are hike upto Rs 50 per kg and adding to that the vegetable vendors have hike it to Rs 60 per kg which is like a burden to the middle class families and the below poverty line people. The people are in a conclusion that the prices of vegetable are sky rocketing because of the recent incessant rains in the erstwhile Khammam and other districts during the month of August. The farmers are cultivating leaf and other types of vegetables in the villages like Marytanda, Ballepalli under the Raghunadhapalem mandal, Chintapalli in Khammam rural mandal and Joggudem in Kamepalli mandal, Jillachruv in Kusumanchi mandal, Rudra Kota, Puttakota under the Khammam urban mandal. Usually the yields are purchased by the markets in the month of August but due to heavy rains and cyclones this time it was purchased two months later, informed the farmers. They added that the people of Khammam and Bhadradri-Kothagudem were dependent on the local farmers' crops but now they are opting for vegetables transported from nearby districts as well. They added that the vegetable vendors are now depending 75% on the transported vegetables and 25% from the local farmers.

Vegetable trader in Khammam identified as K Srinivas Rao, said that the prices of the vegetables usually increases in April and May months every year due to reduction of production but this time due to floods and rains, the prices have increased abnormally in the months of October and November.

According to B Venkat Reddy a vegetable farmer of Kandukur village in Vemsoor mandal, said that due to continuous rains the crops were damaged and farmers had to face a huge loss.

N Sumathi, house wife in Khammam informed that the rates Ladies Finger price per kg is Rs 50, Tomato is Rs 58, Ridge Gourd is Rs 50, Chilly is Rs 34, Potato is Rs.28, Cucumber is Rs.50 and Onion is Rs. 40.

Traders are of the idea that the transportation expenses of the vegetables from nearby districts and other states is an another reason for the hikes in the prices adding the recent rains and floods. The horticulture officers believe that the rains had affected crops badly in some areas in the district.