Vegetable Prices Soar in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: City dwellers are looking for alternative substances that provide a sweet-sour and tangy taste and a characteristic red colour, as the price of tomatoes, among other fruits, vegetables and essential commodities, continues to rise uncontrolled amid a lack of governmental intervention.

The poor and the middle class are bearing the brunt as the state government, unlike its counterparts Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, has come to the rescue of the people by setting up a market intervention fund or price stabilisation fund. While the neighbouring states are supplying vegetables for subsidised rates through government outlets, there is no such initiative in Telangana, taking tomatoes past the Rs 100 mark (per kg) in the retail market. All other vegetables have also become expensive in the past four weeks.

Although Rs 1,000 crore was sanctioned in the state Budget towards the market intervention fund, the funds are not being utilised. The last instance of using these funds was in 2015, to supply onions and red gram for subsidised rates when the onion price crossed the Rs 100 mark per kg and toor dal touched a price of Rs 150 per kg.

Then, the state government supplied onions for a highly subsidised price of Rs 20 per kg to all Rythu Bazaars in the state. It also supplied red gram (toor dal) for a subsidised price of Rs 50 per kg, through ration shops.

However, the state government has consistently ignored skyrocketing prices over the past eight years.

Tomatoes were not alone in crossing the Rs 100 mark, with green chillis costing upwards of Rs 120 per kg, and other vegetables mostly in the range of Rs 70-Rs 90 per kg.

The neighbouring Andhra Pradesh government has subsidised tomato prices by over half the price, launching sales at Rs 50 per kg from Thursday through Rythu Bazaars across the state. The Tamil Nadu government has also launched the sale of tomatoes for a subsidised price of Rs 60 per kg.

While the public demand for price control is getting louder, the state government is yet to hold a review meeting to take stock of rising prices and discuss measures to control the prices.

The marketing department handles the procurement of stocks and setting up outlets for subsidised sales. Agriculture minister S. Niranjan Reddy, who personally handles the marketing department, however, was not available for comment. Repeated attempts to reach him on Thursday were in vain.

VOX POP

Opposition leaders react on rising prices:

1. BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar:

“The Chief Minister has shown that he does not care, just look at the prices of petrol, diesel in Telangana compared to other states…I wonder if KCR is even aware of tomato prices. The state government must take action to control prices, and ensure common people do not suffer.”

2. T. Jeevan Reddy, MLC, Congress:

“The delay of kharif has led to fall in availability of vegetables due to dip in their acreage. Middlemen are benefitting… Centre is implementing the third farm law on storage of essential items in practice by not unearthing essential items. This is creating shortage and burdening the common man.”

3. Addanki Dayakar, Congress leader and spokesperson:

“Farmers are reluctant to take up cultivation owing to falling incomes… Governments are not intervening in the market since Covid-19 hit. As prices of essential commodities are not being controlled, it is benefitting big retail chains…This is in line with the third farm law the Centre wanted to implement.”

People react to rising prices:

1. B. Madhavi, a teacher at a private school in Hyderabad:

 “My salary is Rs 10,000 and my husband earns another Rs 20,000 at a private college. Of this, Rs 5,000 goes towards house rent, Rs 600 for power and Rs 1,500 for milk, while my children’s school fee rose by Rs 6,000 last year. Now, we have to put up skyrocketing prices of tomato and other essential items. It’s been some days since I used a tomato in cooking.”

2. Tirupati Goud, owner of Sai Darshini Tiffins and Meals near RTC X Roads in Hyderabad:

“We are running the tiffin centre with the hope that prices of essential items would fall in the near future. This is my only means of livelihood. My daily income after removing all costs has fallen from Rs 1,500 one year back to Rs 1,000 now. I am hardly saving Rs 200 to Rs 300 more than my master cook per day.”

3. Boddu Tulsidas, senior analytical officer, Cyberabad police

“It is difficult to live with the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities. Especially, prices of vegetables have steeply increased in recent times. We are unable to purchase tomatoes and mirchi, either due to high prices or shortage. Instead of green chillies, we are using dry mirchi in preparation of curries. The governments should regulate the prices.”

4. Ravinder, tomato vendor, Monda Market, Secunderabad:

“I have to shell out '2,000 for a crate of tomatoes against the earlier price of '500. The prices are bound to rise when the supply is lower than the demand. It is the state government’s responsibility to check price rise. We are commoners who still have to make a living and eat. Is there anything else we can do?”

5. Sangamesh Chintakayala, auto driver:

“Neither the Chief Minister nor MLAs care for the commoner’s plight. The rise of vegetable prices hit daily labourers the worst. KCR should look after the people who elected him to power before trying to meddle in Maharashtra's politics with his 600-car convoy. If this situation continues, people wouldn’t elect BRS back.”