KENDRAPARA: The extensive damage to crops due to continuous rainfall has resulted in soaring prices of vegetables across the coastal district. While brinjal was priced at Rs 20 per kg last week, it now costs Rs 30 in the market. Similarly, the pointed gourd is now priced at Rs 40 per kg as compared to Rs 25 last week. Most of the vegetables including pumpkin and okra have seen a two-fold increase in prices.
Hamid Ali, a vegetable seller of Kendrapara, said in many areas, farmers harvested even tender vegetables to avoid losses. This has led to soaring demand and high prices. “Usually, the prices of vegetables come down in December. But incessant rains for the last couple of days have damaged standing vegetable crops sending the prices up,” Ali added.
Ratikanta Sahoo, a vegetable grower of Pattamundai, said crops like radish, lady’s finger, beans, brinjal, pointed and snake gourd, pumpkin and other seasonal vegetables have been damaged in the rain. “Many varieties of vegetables are prone to damage in bad weather. Farmers fear that vegetables which were sown early, are likely to be damaged due to increase in the groundwater level following the rains,” he said.
Sources said vast tracts of crop fields are now submerged due to non-release of stagnant rainwater as a result of which vegetables are rotting. Assistant director of Horticulture department Kanda Jena admitted that vegetable growers suffered huge losses in the recent rains. “After assessing the crop damage, we will send a report to the government,” Jena added.