Bengaluru: Drought across the states and parts of neighboring Andhra and Telangana has led to skyrocketing prices of vegetables. Amid scarcity of water with which to grow the vegetables, prices of essential vegetables, including beans and tomatoes, have reached a dizzying high this year.
According to the retail vendors, the rate per kilo of beans crossed the Rs 120 mark on Tuesday. Another much-in-demand vegetable, the tomato, was being sold for Rs 45 to Rs 50 per kilo, while the local variety of tomato has touched Rs 60 per kilo. Palak greens and Chayote Squash are the two other vegetables which are also witnessing more demand but less supply, leading to a spurt in the prices.
According to the vegetable vendors, these prices are expected to go through the roof in the coming days if there is no rain. “Due to the water scarcity the quantity of vegetable yields has come down drastically. So we are facing a supply shortage.
If there is no pre- monsoon rain, the situation is expected to deteriorate further,” says Mr. Chikkegowda, a wholesale vegetable vendor from Yesvantpur. The veggie sellers find themselves in a quandary. “We cannot sell poor quality vegetables as no one wants to buy them. With rainfall being reported from various parts of the state, including Tumakuru, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, we are expecting more supply of vegetables in the coming days,” he added.
According to officials in the Horticultural Producers’ Co-operative Marketing and Processing Society Ltd (HOPCOMS), compared to the retail vegetable shops, prices are bit lower in the HOPCPMS centers. “We are selling beans for Rs 98 per kilo while tomatoes cost Rs 30 per kilo. As there are no middlemen we can sell them for a much cheaper rate,” said an officer from HOPCOMS -- also known as Horticultural Producers’ Co-operative Marketing and Processing Society Ltd (HOPCOMS).
