Prices of vegetables shoot up

 

The heat wave during May, water scarcity, delayed monsoon and decreased farmland with a boom in real estate are said to be the prime reasons of dwindling output of veggies and the exorbitant prices of vegetables.

 

Dr Ramana, who came to buy vegetables in the MVP Rythu Bazaar, expressed his dismay, “The vegetable prices have soared within the recent days, particularly onions and beans. Prices of other veggies have also skyrocketed, by at least 30% to 40%.” They are beyond the reach of common mn, he complains.

 

Onions and tomatoes, staples in many households, are observing a rapid rise in their prices. Onions are presently being sold at Rs 25 a kilo in Rythu Bazaars and Rs 30-35 in super arkets, which were Rs 12—a-kilo a month back. 

P. Jagadeswara Rao, estate officer of MVP Rythu Bazaar, attributes escalating vegetable prices to delayed monsoon and water scarcity.

 

Black brinjal, broad beans, carrots, okra and ribbed gourd are not an exception. The beans, which usually trade at a price of Rs 20 to 30 a kilo, are currently sold at Rs 75 a kilo, registering a threefold increase in price.

 

The unpredictable weather didn’t leave the fruits also. The unseasonal rains accompanied with hailstorms in April severely affected the mango orchards in the north coastal region besides dual Godavari and Krishna districts, resulting in a drop in the mango output and sending the prices upwards.

 

Appala Naidu, a farmer and trader, who brings vegetables from the neighbouring Santa-palem village to the market, said that once the monsoon begins and good rainfall is recorded, the prices of the vegetables will fall in order. He expressed concern over decreasing farmland with the escalating real estate market in Visakhapatnam district.