BERHAMPUR: The joy of the festive season in Ganjam district has been marred by skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, including vegetables, leaving people struggling to manage their household budgets.
Traditionally, this period marks the longest holiday season when people return to their homes and invite relatives to join in the festivities. However, this year’s celebration was different as the rates of vegetables and several other food items surged, pinching the pockets badly.
Last month, the price of tomatoes doubled, and now the soaring cost of onions has brought tears to consumers. Tomatoes are selling for Rs 40 per kg while onions are priced at Rs 80 per kg. Similarly, Arhar dal is reaching Rs 160 per kilogram in the retail market, up from Rs 60 per kg for the past eight months.
The wholesale market at Berhampur’s Bada Bazaar typically sources pulses like arhar and pigeon peas from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Nagpur in Maharashtra, and Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh to meet the demands of Ganjam district. For its onion supply, the district mostly relies on Nashik. However, the reduced supply has led to the import of onions from Karnataka, but the quality is not as good, with the produce rotting within a week, according to Babula Nayak, a wholesaler at Bada Bazar.
Despite the reduced consumption due to the Kartik month, the prices remain high. “Onion prices might decrease by the third week of the current month as fresh crops are expected to be harvested in Nashik and Karnataka in the second week,” hoped Nayak.
Officials from the Civil Supplies department stated that Ganjam’s current pulse requirement is 300 quintal per day, but the current purchases from outside sources amount to approximately 175 to 200 quintals.
Jitendra Jena, a wholesaler, provided a price comparison, stating that moong dal increased from Rs 100 to Rs 115, pigeon peas (buta dal) rose from Rs 60 to Rs 74, red lentil (masur dal) increased from Rs 62 to Rs 74, and black gram (biri dal) surged from Rs 100 to Rs 115 during the same period.
Retailers attribute the price hikes to hoarding by big traders and the lack of verification of sales and purchase stocks by the Civil Supplies department.In response, Ganjam collector Dibyajyoti Parida said he has instructed the Civil Supplies officials to visit the markets and take action against traders engaging in hoarding.