Dry monsoon fires veggie prices

AHMEDABAD: The delay in monsoon has made vegetables very expensive. Bindu Patel, a resident of Satellite, had gone to the market with Rs 100 to buy vegetables but came back with one kg each of tomato, potato and onion.
This year, as there has been virtually no rain so far, vegetable prices have increased by about 40-45% in the retail market. In the wholesale vegetable market, rates have gone up by 15-20%.For example, in June this year, the best quality potato was priced at Rs 13 a kg in the wholesale market but this had increased to Rs 16 a kg on Tuesday. In the retail market, however, vegetable prices have gone up from Rs 20 to nearly Rs 28 a kg in posh localities.
Even tomato prices have suddenly doubled. The price of tomato a month back was Rs 15 a kg in wholesale but, on Tuesday, this had risen to Rs 35 a kg. In retail, it was selling at Rs 50 a kg!
A trader in Satellite said that the price of tomato in the last two days had increased by Rs 12. Officials say that the delay in monsoon has caused a scare in the market and also among the people. Hence, traders have started storing their produce and this had reduced supply.
A trader said on the condition of anonymity that, compared to other parts of the country, production of potato in the state is not bad this year but the crop from Deesa was being diverted to Rajasthan. Usually potato comes to Rajasthan from Agra and some other places in north India. This year, because of reduced production in the North, vegetable prices in Rajasthan are high. Hence traders in Gujarat are diverting the produce to Rajasthan.
The high vegetable prices have upset many household budgets in the city.
"Earlier I used to cook potatoes with each and every vegetable. But potatoes have become so expensive that I find it difficult to manage the household budget," said Patel.
Similar views were expressed by Jasmine Patel, a resident of satellite. "The wholesale rates are also high. I had gone to Kalupur and purchased vegetables for the entire week. But the prices are high and are increasing. In the retail market just close to Kalupur wholesale market, rates have gone up by 20-25%. We are a joint family and, hence, consumption of vegetable is very high. I have, therefore, no option but to go to Kalupur," she said.