BENGALURU: With Ugadi around the corner, the festive spirit is dampened by a sharp surge in fruit, flower, and vegetable prices across major markets in the city. The price of mangoes has surged by around Rs 50, while flower prices have doubled ahead of the festival.
Button roses and chrysanthemums are being sold at Rs 400-450 per kg, while jasmine and crossandra are priced between Rs 800 and Rs 1,000 per kg. Sellers across City Market, Malleswaram, Hebbal and Yeshwantpur, told TNIE that prices may rise further as cultivation has dropped by nearly 50% in key horticulture belts around Bengaluru.
While the festive season is pushing demand, vendors are also struggling with storage issues due to the summer heat, leading to price hikes. Karupasamy, a flower vendor in Hebbal, said keeping flowers and fruits fresh is a major challenge, which is why their prices surge during this time. “Moreover, owing to Ugadi and Ramzan, demand goes up by nearly 50-60% hence we increase the price of all festive staples across all major markets to meet the demand and ensure uniform profit for all sellers,” Karupasmy added.
While the cost of staples like tomatoes and potatoes has remained stable, beans have become more expensive, rising by Rs 7-10 per kg in retail markets. Carrots, capsicums, spinach and other green leafy vegetables have also seen a price increase of at least Rs 10 per kg. The price of Mango and neem leaves, which are associated with Ugadi festival, has also increased by Rs 3-5 and are now being sold at Rs 15 (for three leaves) and Rs 12 (per bunch), respectively.
Online platforms reflect price hikes too
While some customers turned to wholesale markets to escape soaring retail prices, others expressed frustration over the rising costs. Some have also opted for online grocery shopping to avoid festive crowds and the summer heat, but the customers noted that even online, product prices had increased significantly.
On online platforms like Zepto, Swiggy Instamart and Blinkit, the price of mangoes has surged to Rs 370-400 per kg, with some apps pricing them per piece and charging as high as Rs 190 for a single Alphonso mango. Moreover, a 500-gram pack of bananas, containing about 4-5 pieces, which usually costs around Rs 30-40, is now priced at up to Rs 80.