Visakhapatnam: The skyrocketing prices of vegetables, which have increased by 50-60 per cent on an average over the past ten days, are making the people of Vizag break out into sweat, even during winter season. This has been due to shortage of vegetables that was damaged during weeklong rainfall in the region.
As soon as prices of onions started dipping, vegetables have become pricey in Rythu Bazaars. Tomatoes, brinjal, green chilly; colocasia, donda, carrot, potato, onion, cabbage and other vegetables have abnormally increased when compared to the beginning of this month. Cabbage, which has been at comfortable prices, has also become pricey of late.
Tomato price has been continuing at Rs 40 per kilogram in open market and second grade quality is at Rs 35. The costs have come down to Rs. 30, ten days ago and again shot up. Use of brinjal has enhanced during Karthik month and the cost also varying from Rs 44-40 during last fortnight and Rythu Bazaars also have been witnessing huge prices for black, white and other local varieties.
Green chilli, which augmented to Rs 70-80 per kg last month, gradually came down to Rs 26-30 this month. Colocasia (Chema Dumpa) has been maintaining almost same price for the last two-three months. Prices of beans, capsicum, cauliflower, and bottle gourd are now skyrocketing.
Ivy gourd (donda) is ranging from Rs 30-40 for the last 15 days. Carrots, that are available at Rs 14-16 during September, have now gone up to Rs 36-40. Good variety of onions is available in the city at Rs 45-48. Branded stores and super markets have been selling it at double the cost.
The Anandapuram, Tagarapuvalasa, Sabb-avaram, Pendurthi, Kasimkota, Anantagiri and Araku mandals are the prime sources of vegetables for the markets in the district, including the dozen Rythu Bazaars in the city, that require around 5,000 quintal of vegetables per day. But in the past fortnight, the supply of vegetables has gone down to around 70 per cent of required quantity per day, according to officials.
Particularly, in north Andhra region, there is a tradition that people stop eating non-vegetarian food during Kartika month and prefer only vegetables. This practically affects the local market since normal supply of vegetables is insufficient and need to adjust with the regular quantities.
Recent rain havoc also mounted pressure,according to agriculture officials. Normally, prices of vegetables come down between November-January, due to sufficient water due to rains.
