It’s that time of the year when the prices of kitchen staples acquire wings, fluctuating wildly depending on the monsoon mood swings. Add to that the higher cost of transport because pricy diesel, and it is the aam aadmi who is forced to bear the brunt. The trend is uniform across the South.
One estimate on the cost add-on because of the fuel price flare up came from Umesh Mirji, managing director of the Horticultural Producers' Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society in Karnataka. He said a 5-10% rise in vegetable cost is due to the rise in diesel prices, which has already crossed Rs 100.
The Pedda Waltair Rythu Bazaar in Vizag stood out as an example of the yo-yo situation. While last Saturday, a kilo of tomatoes was sold at Rs 52, on Tuesday, it dropped to Rs 44. But the price could soon cross Rs 50 again as tomatoes are getting scarcer.
"Tomato prices might increase again as a lot of farms and produce were destroyed due to heavy rains and the cyclone," informed Jagadeesh, a vendor.
In Vijayawada, tomatoes on Tuesday were sold at Rs 40, while it was Rs 24 a fortnight ago; onions at Rs 40 per kg as compared to Rs 29 earlier; and green chilies at Rs 34 while it was Rs 16 a fortnight ago. “The prices came as a shock when I visited the bazaar today,” said S Dhanalakshmi, a homemaker.
In the Hyderabad market, vegetables such as tomato and green chillies that are usually available at Rs 10 and Rs 15 a kg respectively this time of the year, are now being sold at Rs 30.
At the Bowenpally Vegetable Market, one of the biggest in Hyderabad, onions were available for Rs 20 a kg till Monday. A day later, its price jumped to Rs 30..
Tomatoes, brinjals at Rs 70 per kg: Flood-hit Kerala witnesses 100-300 per cdent price rise
Similarly, coriander has gone up from Rs 10 to Rs 50 for a bunch. And beans and capsicum prices have doubled in a fortnight. The prices of veggies are likely to further shoot up because of blight - a fungal disease attacking the stem and fruit.
Flood-hit Kerala is experiencing a 100-300 per cent price rise as compared to their mid-September rates. Kerala depends on Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for most vegetables, both of which have been battered by the monsoon. The steep hike in transportation cost has further jacked up prices.
Tomatoes that cost Rs 20-25 per kg a month ago is now priced at Rs 65-70; onion Rs 50-55, up from Rs 20-22; drumstick Rs 80 against Rs 25; and brinjal Rs 70 against Rs 16 last month. As for Chennai, the retail price of tomatoes that was hovering over Rs 50 per kg for the past week, was sold for Rs 60-80 on Monday.
The cost of onion jumped from Rs 30 to Rs 45 in a week. Traders said there has been a 10-15 per cent rice in the prices of most vegetables. Prices are expected to fall in the first week of November.
In Coimbatore, M Rajendran, president of TK Market, said: "The rate of native vegetables has risen in the last week. For instance, price of drumstick has gone up from Rs 30 last week to Rs 80 per kg now."