Crop loss, truck strike result in veggie price rise

KOCHI

: Prices of

vegetables

in the city have shot up over the past one week in the city. Local

vegetable

vendors have attributed the price rise to short supply due to

crop loss

in heavy rain.


Vendors in Ernakulam market said that prices would skyrocket in the coming days as the supply of vegetables from other states and within Kerala has stopped following an indefinite strike by All India confederation of goods and vehicle owners’ association.

K K Ashraf, vice-president of Ernakulam market stall owners’ association, said that there has been a 20 to 30% increase in the price of vegetables as heavy downpour had led to crop loss.

“Unless there is an alternative system to address the shortage, price will go up in the coming days. The government should immediately come up with a solution to end the indefinite strike being carried out by truck operators,” said Ashraf.

Shallots and green chillies will make you cry as price of both the items have shot up from Rs 30 per kg to Rs 60 per kg in a week. The price of beans has shot up from Rs 40 to Rs 70 per kg.

Shijil Rajan, a wholesale vendor at Ernakulam market, said that price of shallots, green chillies, beans (including French beans) and carrots are likely to shoot up in the coming days if authorities fail to address the sharp fall in the arrival of these vegetables.

“We mainly procure shallots, green chillies, beans and carrots from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The scarcity is due to adverse weather and the truck strike. Earlier, we used to get 10 tonnes of shallots and green chillies. However, for the past few months, we are getting only two to five tonnes of shallots and green chillies weekly,” said Rajan.

The price of garlic and ginger has also gone up. The price of ginger is Rs 60 and garlic costs Rs 50 per kg. The price of cabbage, cauliflower, bitter gourd and snake gourd has also shot up from Rs 20 to Rs 30 per kg in one week.

Ernakulam has suffered a loss of nearly Rs 14.38 crore in the agricultural sector due to heavy rain and wind. Vegetable cultivation spread across over 68 hectares has also been destroyed. Major crop loss has been reported in the district and banana farmers seem to be the worst hit with 3.89 lakh plantains getting destroyed. This has resulted in scanty arrival of ripe and raw bananas.

“The price of ‘nendran’ variety of bananas, which will be in great demand during Onam season, has gone up to Rs 70 per kg. The price of ‘njalipoovan’ is now at Rs 60 per kg,” said Hamsa, wholesale vendor at a city-based market.