Vegetable Prices Shoot Up in Vijayawada

 Vijayawada: Untimely rains and extreme temperatures, coupled with a dip in production, have led to a two-fold increase in prices of vegetables in Vijayawada city.

“With a mismatch in the supply and demand, prices of vegetables such as chilli, tomato and beans sold at rythu bazaars have increased,” explained John Victor, estate officer of Krishna Lanka Rythu Bazaar.

Rythu bazaars in Vijayawada get vegetables, such as brinjal, okra, guar, bottle gourd and snake gourd, from farmers, who cultivate these crops in mandals surrounding the city, such as Mylavaram, Mangalagiri and Duggirala.

However, vegetables like tomato, chilli, onion, potato, carrot, beetroot, capsicum and beans arrive in Vijayawada from places like Madanapalli, Kolar, Kadapa and Bapatla.

The price of chilli, which otherwise sells for Rs 40 per kg has gone up to Rs 90 in rythu bazaars, following a delay in arrival of chilli loads from Kadapa. “Chilli prices will normalise in the coming with arrival of stocks from Kadapa,” John Victor stated.

Similarly, prices of tomato, a regular ingredient in the kitchen, has nearly doubled from Rs 25 to Rs 44 per kg in rythu bazaars, while it is Rs 50 in the retail markets. On Monday, the price of tomatoes stood at Rs 40 per kg. Beans sold for Rs 170 a kg on Monday, while the usual price is within two digits.

The sudden increase in vegetable prices has caught middle-class households off guard. “The price of every vegetable has doubled in the past fortnight. Earlier, with ?200–300, we used to purchase vegetables sufficient for four to five days. However, the same vegetables are now costing Rs 500–600,” Lakshman, who came to purchase vegetables at Krishna Lanka Rythu Bazaar said.