Consumers hit as vegetable prices skyrocket in State

Prices of all vegetables have gone up as supply from other states dwindled
Image used for representation
Image used for representation

BHUBANESWAR: The extended monsoon caused by back-to-back low pressure systems has led to a steep rise in prices of vegetables in the State, hitting the household budget hard. Prices of all vegetables have gone up sharply following excess rainfall in large parts of coastal districts resulting in damage to standing crops.

“Rise in vegetable prices is not unusual post-monsoon. But what is different this time is a combination of factors. The unusually high rainfall this year causing extensive damage to vegetable crops and the high transportation cost due to spiralling diesel prices have significantly contributed to the increase in prices,” said general secretary of Kuberpuri Byabasayi Sangh Shakti Shankar Mishra. 

There has been a significant reduction in stock of local vegetable as well as those sourced from other states. The prolonged monsoon has not only damaged vegetable crops but also lowered the yield. The State sources cabbage, tomato, carrot, beans, beet root, raw papaya, raw banana, drumstick, capsicum from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and a few other states. Karnataka being a major supplier, vegetable supply from the southern state has trickled down due to heavy rainfall in the last couple of days, Mishra said.

Late withdrawal of monsoon this year after bouts of heavy showers in many parts of the country has resulted in waterlogging in farms causing considerable damage to vegetable crops in particular. The price of tomato which was available for Rs 30 a kg a couple of weeks back has skyrocketed to Rs 70-Rs 80 per kg. Similarly, Brinjal, commonly used in households across Odisha, is selling at Rs 50-Rs 70 per kg. A cauliflower of standard size is priced at Rs 50-Rs 60 a piece while beans are being sold for Rs 80 and above a kg.

While green capsicum is selling at Rs 120 at Unit-I market, roadside vendors are selling it at Rs 160 a kg. Drumstick, another popular vegetable, is priced at Rs 120 a kg. While the price of potato, the most important vegetable in every household, has remained constant at Rs 18-Rs 20 per kg. But onion has become pricey at Rs 50 a kg up from Rs 30/kg a few weeks back.

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