Vijayawada: The soaring prices of vegetables this summer season are burdening the common man with extra expenditure.
The price of tomatoes has increased to Rs 50-60 a kg from Rs 20, green chilli, essential for every curry, has risen to Rs 80-100 per kg from the earlier Rs 30, the price of beans has doubled from Rs 60 a kg to Rs 120. The prices of other vegetables too has increased in the last few days due to a dip in the production of vegetables, following the severe heat conditions. In such a situation, many vegetarians are switching to dal varieties in food.
There are 96 rythu bazaars and nearly 200 wholesale, retail and local vegetable markets in the 13 districts of AP. Compared to the open market, the price of vegetables in rythu bazaars is slightly less.
Wholesale trader S. Kondal Rao said that there had been no rains in the state and that many irrigation canals and ponds had dried up. There is scarcity of water and in such a condition, farmers are finding it hard to water the fields as the groundwater-level too depleted in the state.
He said that production of tomatoes has decreased and hence, traders were importing them from Madanapalle, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Telangana, resulting in a rise in the price. Potatoes are being imported from Agra, carrot, beetroot, capsicum and other chilli varieties from Bengaluru.
K. Sitaramulu, a vegetable farmer, said that Krishna and Guntur districts famous for production of brinjal, cauliflower, chilli, ridge gourd, lady finger and leafy vegetables but due to the dry conditions prevailing in the state, their yield has decreased.
He said that groundwater was also not available in a majority of the areas and hence, they were not able to use drip irrigation to wet the crops.
A private employee, G. Phani Raju, said that earlier, he used to spend Rs 150 to Rs 200 a week to buy vegetables for his family of four.
“Now, I am spending double the amount for taking home vegetables that would last for a week.” “Many people would prefer eating vegetables in summer to keep good health and the increasing demand is also leading to a rise in the prices,” he pointed out.
P. Malleswari, an employee in a private company, said that after the prices of vegetables have increased, many of her colleagues were cooking dal varieties to cope with the situation.
