Hyderabad: The city’s 26 Rythu Bazaars and 46 Mana Kuragayalu outlets are suddenly seeing more footfalls with vegetables becoming costlier at retail outlets.
Estate officer R. Ramesh said the Erragadda Rythu Bazaar usually sees 10,000 customers during the week and 12,000 over weekends. “The number has risen to 15,000 on normal days and 20,000 on weekends,” he said. This is one of the biggest vegetable markets in the city with 260 stalls.
“We are requesting farmers to bring more vegetables to meet the requirements. As the crop has been good in Medak and Sangareddy districts, we are expecting sufficient arrivals this week,” he said.
At the Mehdipatnam Rythu Bazaar, estate officer K.R. Vijay Kumar said local crops had started arriving in the markets and vegetable prices would come down next week.
He said marketing department officials were visiting villages and motivating farmers to take their vegetabels to the Rythu Bazaars and Mana Kuragayalu outlets
The Mehdipatnam Rythu Bazaar is getting about 10,000 customers for the past week against 7,000 on normal day, and the Kukatpally Rythu Bazaar 15,000 against the norm of 10,000.
Mr T.S. Krishna Mohan, who is with the Telangana State Special Police at Kondapur, said he was shopping for vegetables at the Mehdipatnam Rythu Bazaar as retail prices were high.
“Tomato costs Rs 60 to Rs 70 per kg in retail markets but we are getting 2 kgs for the same amount at the Rythu Bazaar. The other vegetables are cheap too,” the official said.
Vendors make up losses, keep prices high
The prices of vegetables dipped slightly in the wholesale markets with arrivals of local stock but this has not been reflected in retail and super markets.
Tomato is retailing at Rs 50 a kg and Rs 15 a quarter kg and Rs 60 to Rs 80 in super markets against the wholesale price of Rs 28 a kg and Rs 35 at Rythu Bazaars.
While Rythu Bazaars and Mana Kuragayalu stalls sell field beans with seeds and the cheaper seedless variety different prices, there is no difference in retail markets and malls.
Mr A. Achaiah, a retailer at the Amberpet Tuesday market, said they were selling at higher rates to make up for losses suffered during the rains, “For the last two Tuesdays, we faced huge losses as customers did not come to the market due to the heavy rain. We are increasing the prices to pay for the loss of vegetables, but there should be no change at retailers with proper buildings,” he said.
