Vegetable prices shoot up amid disrupted supply

LUCKNOW: Supply chain disrupted by Covid-19 along with the arrival of monsoon has led to increase in the prices of vegetables, adding to the woes of common man.

According to traders, the price hike is primarily because of three reasons —the limited movement of transport vehicles caused by restrictions in wake of Covid-19, the rain which has caused a reduction in local produce leading to a higher dependency on a few vegetables and the rise in local demand of vegetables.Prices of almost all vegetables, brought from outside the state, have nearly doubled in fortnight, insist traders.

“The price of tomatoes has increased from ₹30 to ₹80 in past two weeks. The price of onions has also gone up from ₹20 to ₹40,” said Sahnawaz Khan, a vegetable trader. Like tubers, prices of gourds have also steeped. Price of bottle gourd has increased from ₹30 to ₹40 while price of bitter gourd has witnessed a hike of around ₹15. Price of pumpkin has also soared in the past two weeks.

Along with vegetables, prices of fruits have also recorded an upward growth with apple prices reaching up to ₹180 a Kg from ₹150 two weeks ago, Pear is being sold at ₹150 a Kg from ₹100 a kg, a dozen of bananas is being sold at ₹50 with a rise of ₹ 10 since last month.

“The demand for vegetables have gone up because people have started coming out to the markets while there is a reduction in the supply which stimulates price rise,” said Surendra Kumar, a rural economist.

Reportedly, farmers had to invest more in managing their crop during monsoon which also leads to price hike. “Price of vegetables will go up as the monsoon proceeds and this is expected to continue till September,” added Surendra. “Tomatoes and onions are two most common vegetables, yet their price increases manifolds for few months every year,” said Sujata Verma, a house wife .

THE PRICE OF TOMATOES HAS INCREASED FROM ₹30 TO ₹80 IN PAST TWO WEEKS. THE PRICE OF ONIONS HAS ALSO GONE UP FROM ₹20 TO ₹40