Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Aug 23: Roads passing through Shiradi Ghat and Sampaje Ghat have been closed for traffic, having been extensively damaged or destroyed at several places on account of floods. The situation in Charmadi Ghat too is precarious. In all likelihood, supply of vegetables to the coastal region might be affected, and their prices might skyrocket in course of time unless the traffic on the closed roads is resumed within a few days.

Currently, vehicles carrying fruits and vegetables from Mysuru and Bengaluru areas have to pass through Charmadi Ghat road. Some of the vegetables to Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts are also supplied from Chikkamagaluru district. On account of increased traffic, if the government takes a decision to ban movement of transport vehicles on Charmadi Ghat road, the situation will worsen.

Vegetables like beans, okra, turnip, ridge gourd, egg plant, cluster beans etc are mainly supplied from Chikkamagaluru. This district also has been a major supplier of coccinia, pumpkin, cucumber, etc. Supply of vegetables coming from Hunsur and nearby areas like chilly, groundnut, sweet potato etc has also stopped because of the road problem. Tomato from Kolar, Chennarayanapatna too have to come via Charmadi Ghat road.

Vegetables also reach coastal districts from Nyamathi via Agumbe but Nyamathi mainly supplies beetroot, long beans, cabbage and tomato. Therefore, the prices of other vegetables will go skyward, merchants predict. Vegetables like onion and potato come from Pune via Kundapur, and beans, okra, groundnut, capsicum, coccinia and drumsticks from Belagavi.

Therefore, if the Charmadi Ghat road is closed, the only roads available will be via Kundapur and Agumbe road. As Chikkamagaluru will gain in importance, traders there can quote prices as they wish, in which case, vegetable prices might shoot up. However, after November, some vegetables like coccinia, lentils, ash gourd, brinjal etc that are locally grown would be available, thus easing the reliance on vegetables coming from the other side of the western ghats, vegetable merchants point out.

Some vegetable merchants say that most of the vegetables come from Chikkamagaluru and therefore till November, there is no other option but to buy vegetables at the prices quoted by the wholesalers there.

A vegetable wholesaler in Chikkamagaluru says that vegetable prices have to be increased as transportation through longer roads will have to be arranged. He insists that like milk vans, vehicles carrying vegetables should be given concession from all kinds of restrictions of movement.