KOCHI: Household budgets are feeling the strain as the prices of vegetables skyrocket due to heavy rains in major growing regions like Hosur, Mysuru, and Kolar. The price of vegetables such as tomatoes, lemons, ginger, and chillies were hovering above Rs 100 on Tuesday.
Traders noted that meat prices, including buffalo and chicken, were also high due to increased demand, especially during the Bakrid festival. As prices continue to rise, hotels have expressed their intention to raise the price of dishes.
Tomato prices, which were around Rs 50/kg last month, reached Rs 120/kg on Monday before slightly dropping to Rs 100/kg on Tuesday. Ginger prices surged to Rs 240/kg from Rs 60/kg last month. Green chillies, in high demand, rose above Rs 160/kg compared to Rs 40/kg the previous month. Small onions, previously available for Rs 40/kg, recently surpassed Rs 100/kg.
P Bindu, a homemaker in Palarivattom, stated that her family used to spend approximately Rs 7,000-8,000 per month on groceries alone. However, due to the price surge, she has no choice but to reduce her vegetable purchases.
“If I were to buy the same quantity, my monthly budget would exceed Rs 10,000,” she explained. Bindu resides with her husband, mother, and two children. A trader mentioned that buffalo meat prices rose to Rs 450/kg from Rs 400/kg, while chicken prices, which peaked at Rs 170+/kg, have somewhat cooled down to the Rs 120/kg range in recent days.
A hotel owner shared that the cost of purchasing vegetables increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 for the same quantity, but they are hesitant to raise the prices of their products.
“If the current trend continues, we will be compelled to increase the rates,” stated Joseph Gabriel, a partner at Matha Hotel near Palarivattom in Kochi.
T J Manoharan of the Kerala Hotels and Restaurants Association (KHRA) mentioned that the Kerala High Court has allowed hotel owners to set their own rates. “Some hotels have already increased the prices of dishes in response to the rise in vegetable and meat costs,” he added.
Meanwhile, an official from the Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK) assured that the price of vegetables would stabilise within a month.
“The prices of locally produced vegetables remain the same, but there is a significant hike in vegetables coming from other states, such as tomatoes, beans, cauliflower, and cabbage,” explained Manjusha S, marketing manager at VFPCK which ensures fair prices for vegetables in the state.