25 Jun 2024  |   07:02am IST

Monsoon brings tears in eyes of consumers as veggie prices skyrocket

An increase of 100 per cent has been noticed in the prices of some vegetables; common Goenkars find it difficult to cope; tomatoes top the chart with price of Rs 80/kg

Team Herald

PANJIM: For the past few weeks the common men are grappling with price rise of essential items which also include vegetables. An increase of 100 per cent has been noticed in the prices of some vegetables making it difficult for the common man to purchase them. 

The increase is being attributed to various reasons such as rise in fuel prices which in turn leads to increase in transportation cost and rains after the onset the onset of monsoon as heavy rains have disrupted the supply of vegetables as well as destroyed the crops. However, local vendors in the Panjim Municipal Market say that it happens every year when it rains.

While the horticulture department vegetable rates have gone up the open market rates are almost double. While the rates of tomatoes are Rs 66 at horticulture outlets, the rate per kg varies between Rs 80 to Rs 100 in the open market. Similarly, the rates of cabbage are Rs 47 at the Horticulture outlets while it is Rs 60 per kg in the open market.

"The rates of all vegetables go up during monsoon due to flooding of fields or due to rotting of vegetables. This happens twice a year. The rates of most vegetables such as tomatoes, cabbages, onions, chillies, ginger, garlic, green peas etc which come from Karnataka have shot up,” Abhishek Mule, a vendor in the Panjim market said.

“During rains, fields get inundated due to which crops are destroyed. Only those vegetables which are grown on hilly areas and areas where water do not enter, are available for supply. This put pressure on demand-supply system," Mule said

Sainath Gopalkrishna Prabhu, a wholesale vendor, said, “There is shortage of vegetables due to rains. Tomatoes are being destroyed due to the rains which is putting strain on its supply. Same is with onions.”

“Few days back onions were being sold at Rs 30 a kg but now its price has gone up to Rs 50 a kg. It happens every year during monsoon. When supply is less, the auction price in Belagavi goes up."

According to him, besides the wholesale prices, a vendor has to pay for ten per cent commission on each kg of vegetable plus transportation charge.