PTI 

New Delhi, Jun 22:  Monsoon rains and higher fuel cost-induced increase in freight rates are pinching hard on consumers' pockets with prices of some key vegetables soaring up to over three times in just a month.

Wholesale prices of items like potato, onion and tomato have increased by up to 227 per cent in past one month, even though their contribution to the annual rate of WPI inflation, which has soared to 13-year high of 11.05 per cent, is relatively small.

Besides, the retail prices, which is what consumers pay at their end, are understood to have risen at even a faster pace.

The three commodities are key ingredients to most of the vegetable dishes present in households across the country.

Price of tomato has gone up 227.5 per cent at Rs 917 per quintal as on June 19, the latest date for which data is available, as compared to Rs 280 per quintal a month ago on May 23 at Azadpur mandi, country's largest wholesale market.

Even potato and onion surged by 60 per cent and 27.77 per cent respectively. Potato was at Rs 1000 per quintal as compared to Rs 625 per quintal, where as onion was at Rs 575 per quintal against Rs 450 per quintal, figures showed.

When asked about the prices rise of vegetables Potato and Onion Market Association General Secretary Rajinder Sharma said the rates went high due to heavy rains since last one month in the producing regions that has affected the crops.

Besides potato, onion and tomato, prices of other key vegetables such as coriander and cucumber have also increased considerably.

Coriander shot up by 76.47 per cent and was available at Rs 1500 per quintal, compared to Rs 850 per quintal. Cucumber went up by 36.36 per cent at Rs 750 per quintal.