Soaring vegetable prices make dishes bitter

Tirupati: While vegetable prices tend to be on the higher side during summers due to supply shortage, prices started rising at the end of the summer season. ‘Within a week the vegetable prices have almost doubled and the family budget is in shambles’ complained Sarada, a house wife. Normally prices have to come down around this season but this abnormal trend is a cause of concern, she said.

In Tirupati the reverse is the case. While the prices of potato and onion, the two widely consumed vegetables have remained stable which were priced at Rs.20 and Rs.14 respectively, the prices of other commodities remain a concern. Green chillies, carrot, beans, bitter gourd etc., were priced at Rs.60-70 which recorded almost 50 to 70 percent rise.

Tomato which was available at almost Rs.10 during the mid summer is now Rs.25 per kg.Kesavulu who is a leader of vegetable merchants at Indira Priyadarsini main vegetable market, told The Hans India that lack of production is the sole reason that made the prices of vegetables escalate in the past few days.

A retail woman merchant at Rythu Bazaar said it has become very difficult to bring vegetables for sale. “There was no supply in this area and we are even going to Chikballapur in Karnataka to buy them as we have to keep all varieties in the shop. What about the travelling and other expenditure?” She asked.

A vegetable merchant Radhika said, as the prices were high, people were buying at reduced quantities. “They are coming and buying, but only half the quantities they usually buy”, she explained. Adding to this, most of the traders at Rythu Bazaar are selling the vegetables at much higher prices than the prescribed rates and the arguments become common on this much to the apathy of the supervising mechanism there, as complaints have been unattended.