Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Oct 28: Prices of almost all the vegetables have registered a steady hike for the last about two months. After the Navaratri festival, there has been a marked hike in the prices of vegetables.

Tomato, which was sold at Rs 10 to Rs 15 per kg earlier, has gone beyond the reach of common people by touching Rs 45 a kg. Potato which commanded a price of Rs 20 per kg is now sold for Rs 28 to Rs 30 per kg. Prices of some other vegetables too are marching towards breaching Rs 100 mark. People who eke out a living by working as daily wagers are hit the most by the abnormal increase in the cost of vegetables. For the people, who have already been battered by the effects of coronavirus infection, the vegetable prices hike has come as a double whammy.

The district gets vegetables mostly from Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Hassan, Bengaluru, Chamarajanagar, Mysuru etc. The districts in the plains are getting heavy rains, which have damaged the vegetable crops. Therefore, the supply from districts in the plains like Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Bengaluru is not up to the level of demand. On the other hand, diesel prices that have crossed Rs 100 mark has contributed to the price escalation by way of transportation cost.

Vegetable traders point out that unlike in the past when the price hike was seasonal, now the prices are going up continuously. They feel that vegetable prices might be eased a little only if the diesel price goes down.

Price of cucumber has gone up to Rs 30 a kg from Rs 20, capsicum has seen two-fold increase from Rs 50 to Rs 100 a kg, beans has seen price rise of Rs 60 from Rs 48, carrot from Rs 35 to Rs 55 and onion from Rs 20 to Rs 34. Likewise, fruit prices have also gone up by an average of 50 percent with apples being sold at Rs 120 per kg, up from the previous Rs 95, and oranges priced at Rs 50 from the previous Rs 30.