Rising veggie rates leave a bitter taste

BHUBANESWAR: Tomato prices have rocketed past the Rs 100 mark in several cities across the state, with rates doubling in the city in three days, forcing people to reduce the intake of a staple ingredient in most dishes. On Tuesday, a kilo of tomato was selling for anywhere between Rs 100 and Rs 120.
Prices of all green vegetables have increased significantly in the past few days burning a hole household budgets across the state.Vegetables like beans, drumsticks, capsicum and spine gourd are selling for Rs 100 to Rs 150 per kg. Market sources said heavy rain in some states had damaged crops leading to the significant rise in vegetable prices.

The sudden rise in tomato prices has caught consumers off guard as it selling for less than Rs 50 per kg last week. Customers across most cities are in distress over the escalating prices. Tomato being a key ingredient in Odia recipes, the price rise has become a cause for concern for most households as it has become difficult to manage their monthly expenses.
The kitchen staple has become a luxury for many households as they have started looking for alternatives. “Though it is difficult to cook curries without tomato, I decided not to use them in dishes for now. It came as a shock that last week I bought tomatoes for Rs 50 per kg and now they are costing Rs 100 per kg. We will try to manage without tomatoes till the prices drop,” said Madhusmita Rout, a homemaker.
“Not just tomato, prices of all green vegetables have skyrocketed. If we spend double of what we spend in a week in two days, how can we manage our expenses?” asked Lalatendu Samal, an employee in a private company.
Sources attributed the price surge to a combination of factors like unfavourable weather conditions, such as late onset of monsoon, followed by excessive rainfall in major tomato-producing regions that adversely affected yield. Additionally, disruptions in the supply chain, including transportation challenges due to heavy rain, have contributed to the inflated prices.
Vendors said those who used to buy in kilos have reduced the quantity or are reluctant to buy tomatoes.
“We are receiving tomatoes only from Bengaluru as the production in other states has been badly affected due to various reasons, including rain. Since most states depend on Bengaluru, tomato supply has become scarce leading to price rise. The situation is likely to continue for a few more days as there heavy rain has been forecast across India. Customers have to wait till the fresh harvest comes,” said Debendra Sahu, secretary of Chhatrabazar Traders Association, Cuttack.
Restaurants, eateries and street food vendors are also grappling with the price rise. Some eatery owners said they may have to revise their menus or increase the prices of dishes that heavily rely on tomatoes. Besides, the rise in prices of all vegetables has also spelt trouble.
“As monsoon arrived late in most places, farmers faced significant challenges in sowing and cultivating crops. Then excessive rainfall followed by waterlogging in farmland hampered agricultural activities. This disrupted the usual crop cycles, leading to a substantial decline in vegetable production,” said Kabiraj Swain, secretary of the vegetable vendors association, Unit-1 haat.