*At Rs 80/kg, tomatoes landing consumers in soup
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, July 28: The prices of vegetables have increased significantly in retail markets of Jammu in last 20-25 days, and have broken the backbone of common man as even potatoes and onions have become out of their reach.
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Few days ago, a kilogram of tomatoes had been worth more than one litre of petrol. However, in last few days, prices of tomatoes have come down to Rs 60 to 80 Rs per kg. Other vegetables have been riding the tomato wave while the spurt in onion prices is spoiling the budget of common man.
Almost all vegetables have gone out of common man’s reach and there seems to be no immediate respite for the people from price inflation. In retail vegetable markets of Jammu, tomato prices have soared to Rs 80-100 per kg from Rs 20-40 just a month ago while onion is being sold at Rs 50 per kg. Tomato and onion are essential components of Indian cuisine and their price rise is stirring up a lot of anger among people.
Garlic has topped the chart with a retail price touching Rs 220 per kg while prices of ginger have risen to Rs 200 per kg. Similarly, the prices of potatoes, brinjal and bottle gourd, bitter gourd, cauliflower and lady finger have also climbed up in the last three weeks. The hot and humid weather also led to a rise in the demand of lemons, which are being sold at Rs 150-160 per kg.
Meanwhile, the high prices of vegetables have made consumers more selective when it comes to buying. Pooja Devi, a house wife stated, “The skyrocketing prices of vegetables have been putting extra burden on our pockets. Even the potato and onion, which usually remain available at Rs 10-20 per kg are now being sold at Rs 40 and Rs 50, respectively. This continues to pain us.”
A retired banker, Vijay Vaid said, “Every year with the advent of Monsoon, prices of vegetables rise twice or thrice. Government should focus on this direction and take steps beforehand so that common man may not bear the brunt of price hike, which spoils their household budget completely.”
President of Vegetable Market Association, Narwal (Jammu), Surinder Singh said, “Every year, prices of vegetables go up in Monsoon due to disruption in supply and damage of crops due to excessive rains and flood like situation in UP, Bihar, Maharashtra, Punjab and Haryana but this year vegetable crops earlier damaged due to excessive heat in summer not only these States having plane areas but also in mountainous areas of Himachal, Kashmir, Chennani and Kud, and now the crops are again dying due to lack of rains in Kashmir and other mountainous areas of Jammu.”
He said earlier, 35 to 40 trucks of vegetables used to arrive in Narwal Mandi but now only 10 to 12 trucks are reaching. “The supply is short while the demand is same, which is one of the main reasons of unprecedented price rise of vegetables. Tomatoes which we used to procure from Himachal and Kashmir, are now being brought from Bangalore but due to humidity, 30-40 percent tomatoes rot during transportation and that led to further price hike,” he added. Singh stated that as soon as the vegetable crops in Kashmir, Kud and Chennani become ready, prices of vegetables will start easing.
A senior officer in the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs told Excelsior that all the States have expressed concern in this regard with Government of India and within next few days a meeting is scheduled to be held in this connection in which the possible steps will be discussed to regulate the prices of pulses and vegetables. He, however, said that it is difficult to regulate prices of vegetables, particularly during the ongoing Monsoon season when prices soar due to disruption in transportation.
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