Rains, hoarding make vegetables costlier

Hyderabad: Over the past month, vegetable prices have soared and have now reached a point, where people are finding it difficult to include vegetables in their daily diet. The prices of common  vegetables like tomatoes, onions and potatoes have touched Rs 60, Rs 35 and Rs 30 per kg respectively. French beans are selling for Rs 70 per kg. Meanwhile, carrots cost nearly Rs 46 per kg in the Rythu Bazaars.

Bottle gourd, brinjal, cabbage and green leafy vegetables are slightly more affordable. “Every year, at some point, the rates go up due to problems in cultivation and supply. This year, the rates have gone up as the unseasonal rains have spoilt the crop,” said a farmer. This year, the price of onions has gone up by 30 per cent and potatoes prices have increased by 16 to 18 per cent in the markets. The rates in the super markets are about 10 to 30 per cent higher than the rates in the Rythu Bazaars.

The reasons behind this exorbitant hike in prices are both natural and man-made. Certain vegetables have become costlier due to delayed rains, and in some cases unseasonal rains have destroyed the crops. At the same time, a few other vegetable, like onions, are costing more due to short supply and hoarding of stocks. “As the farmers were on strike, there was a shortage in supply of vegetables. Which is why we have to hold the stocks and sell at higher prices,” said a vegetable vendor at Mir-Alam mandi.

“At least Rs 500 is spent on vegetables for a week. Staples like onions and tomatoes are very expensive now. While, the upper middle class can manage, the lower income groups are suffering and may have to cut down on vegetable intake. Often, we have to compromise on the quality of the vegetables and fruits,” said M. Chaitanya, a resident of Himayatnagar.