Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 10: The consumers who were affected by the meteoric rise of onion rates, are now heaving a sigh of relief as the commodity, which had neared double century mark once, is being traded at Rs 70 to 75 a kg now. However, they now have been hit by the soaring prices of dry chilli, an essential commodity for cooking.

Byadagi variety of red chilli in particular has been registering an upward march now. People need red chilli for almost everything they make barring a few dishes. Therefore, any increase in chilli prices is bound to adversely affect the budget of consumers. It is said that at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee, Gadag, the Bydagi variety of chilli brought by a farmer fetched Rs 33,259 a quintal on Thursday, January 9.

Kaddi variety and Guntur variety of chilli, in the meanwhile, were however sold for Rs 18,609 and Rs 9,009 a quintal respectively. The traders clarified that all types of Byadagi chilli do not command the above price, but Sangareddappa, the farmer who earned Rs 2.30 lac rupees for the seven quintals of chilli he bought to APMC Gadag, got that rate as it was of high quality.

The consumers are in a dilemma as to whether they have to stock this red commodity in expectation or further price hike. The merchants say they too are clueless.