Prices of pulses take a plunge

Kakinada: Bringing cheers to the consumers, the price line of pulses and vegetables witnessed a sharp fall by 30 to 50 per cent in the last one-and-a-half months.

Price of red gram dropped significantly to Rs 90, Rs 100, and Rs 110 from the earlier rate of Rs 160, Rs170, and Rs 190 per kg. The price of black gram dipped to Rs 75-80 from the earlier rate of Rs 130-Rs 140 per kg in the retail market.

In the case green gram, there is a slight variation in the price as it is priced in the range of Rs 80-Rs 90 per kg whereas chick pea (shanaga pappu) fell to Rs 80 to Rs 90 per kg from the earlier rate of Rs 130-Rs 140.

The price line of oil products such as palm oil and sun flower and rise bran remains unchanged at Rs 59-Rs 60 per kg s. 78-81 and 86 per kg. respectively. The less consumed oil products like groundnut and gingelly stay at Rs 150 and Rs 180 per kg respectively.

Pulla Veerababu, a farmer, who grows root vegetables and leaf vegetables at Sarpavaram in Kakinada rural, said that the sharp fall in the price line of vegetables could be attributed to good harvest in delta areas in the district.

He averred that other varieties of vegetables noticed 30-50 per cent fall, in particular, tomato touched the lowest level of Rs.10 per kg , he said.

In the first of January, the prices of vegetables have not shown any increase as the prices of a big size of onion continue to remain at Rs 20 per kg in the first week of January and that of small and medium seize onions are priced at Rs 10-Rs 13 per kg.

The price of ridge gourd came down to Rs 20 per kg from the earlier Rs 40. Similarly, the price of carrot that was Rs 40 a month ago, has come down to Rs.20.

AP Edible Oil Merchants Welfare Association and Godavari Chamber of Commerce President, Grandhi Narayana Rao, alias Babji, said that, on account of good crop season, the prices of all varieties of pulses, in particular, red gram fell by 30-50 percent.

However, he said that demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes has in no way affected the price line of pulses and editable oils.

The Kakinada Area Korana and General Merchants Association president Boda Ravi Kumar said that barring ‘Red gram’ the price line of all other pulses witnessed downtrend in the last one and a half months.

Normally, chick pea stocks come in abundance from West Bengal and Prakasam district. However, due to lack of supply from West Bengal and Prakasam district, the price of pulse witnessed 20-30 per cent rise in the market, he opined.