Low veggie prices ups homemakers' happiness

LUDHIANA: Jaswinder Kaur, 44-year-old homemaker of Model Town, is a happy woman these days. The reason: falling prices of veggies has lessened her budget by at least Rs 2,000 per month. With 12 members in her joint family, the negative food inflation has eased out things for her family.
Says Jaswinder, whose family includes her two children and family of her brother-in-law, "Last year, the prices of vegetables were touching the sky, but things have changed for better now.If the price per kg of onion last year touched Rs 50, this year the rate is Rs 20. The rate of one kg of potato, cauliflower, tomato, peas were Rs 35, Rs 60, Rs 50 and Rs 100 last year, which have now reduced to Rs 5, Rs 10, Rs 10 and Rs 20. I pray the rates continue to come down."
Another homemaker, 28-year-old Navneet Kaur of New Model town area, avers "Last year, we used to buy vegetables for Rs 6,000 but at present, we are buying te same quantity of vegetables for Rs 2,000. We have six members in the family, including my in-laws, husband and two kids. The fall in the vegetable prices means we can use the money for some other domestic purposes."
Jasbir Kaur, 48-year-old homemaker of BRS Nagar, echoes the same feelings. She says, "A gutchi of methi and spinach used to cost Rs 20 last year but their present rates is Rs 10. The prices of other vegetables have also fallen by huge margin."
Ravi Kumar Verma, president of Kissan Mandi vegetable market in Pakhowal area, says, "The rates of vegetables have come down by 75% as compared to last year. We also feel good that consumers are being benefited."