Kolkata, Oct 22 (IANS): On the occasion of Durga Puja, people are grappling with soaring vegetable prices across local markets in Kolkata.

The Durga Puja organisers also are facing hardships as they have to maintain the community- kitchens adjacent to their Puja pandals. As per the records of the task force of West Bengal government, meant for maintaining control over the prices of essential commodities as on Sunday, the average prices of most vegetables in the retails markets are quite high.

The two popular vegetables in Bengali dishes namely bitter gourd and parval is hovering between Rs 80 and Rs 100 a kilogram. Even the most staple vegetable potato is also quite high priced ranging between Rs 20 and Rs 35 a kilogram depending on the variety available.

The prices for ladies’ fingers and pointed gourd are ranging between Rs 70 and Rs 90 a kilogram. “On an average the price for each variety of vegetable is at least Rs 10 to Rs 15 higher per kilogram than what it was last week. Only the price of tomato has come down, ranging between Rs 40 to Rs 50 a kilogram,” a member of the task force said.

Similarly frustrating are the exorbitant prices of cooking accessories like ginger (Rs 280 to Rs 300 a kilogram), garlic (Rs 130 to Rs 150 a kilogram) and fresh chilies at Rs 150 to Rs 200 a kilogram.

The task force members said that the prices of vegetables will maintain their upward swing till Laxmi Puja by the end of this week, following which it might come down a bit.

“However, the possibility of high prices being maintained till Diwali and Kali Puja next month cannot be ruled out altogether,” the task force member said.

They said that due to the late rain that led to flooding across the state, massive amounts of vegetables fields were destroyed which led to the sudden northward drive of vegetables in the retail markets.

The task force member also did not ruled out the hands of a section of the hoarders behind the skyrocketing prices of vegetables.