Prices of green vegetables shoot up

Amid reports of rising onion prices, Delhiites have now been hit hard by <g data-gr-id="34">sharp</g> increase in the prices of green vegetables. The rates have shot up in the wholesale and retail markets as supply has gone down due to heavy rain in Delhi and its neighbouring states. Mandi traders have predicted more increase in prices in the coming days claiming that rains have washed away crops and fresh arrivals will be ensured only after a period of 45 days. 

While onions are available at a price of Rs 50 a kg in the local markets, tomatoes cost something between Rs 35 and Rs 40 per kg. The cheapest veggie available now is potatoes, costing about Rs 20 per kg. In various mandis, <g data-gr-id="36">price</g> of <g data-gr-id="37">bitter</g> gourd has almost doubled in the last fortnight and is trading at Rs 25-35 per kg while cauliflowers and brinjals are available at Rs 15-18 and Rs 25-35 a kg respectively. Coriander and lemon are also being sold at something between Rs 150 and Rs 200 per kg while <g data-gr-id="35">price</g> of cucumber has touched Rs 40 per kg mark that has almost doubled in a week’s time. As per the report, only Safal outlets have been selling vegetables at Rs 5 to Rs 10 per kg below the market price.  

The vegetable sellers of retail markets said that due to the stoppage of supply from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and other neighbouring states, the prices  have almost doubled. 

As vegetable crops have been affected due to incessant rain, mandis of these states have little quantity available for sale. Currently, vegetables are being supplied from remote areas and are being sold at high prices due to increased cost of transportation. Apart from this, hike in diesel and petrol prices in the state have also added to the consumers’ woes.  

“As farmers of neighbouring states have stopped supplying vegetables to the Capital, it has led to a sudden change. In the past two weeks, prices of vegetables have almost doubled,” said Rajendra Sharma, former chairman of the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC), Azadpur Mandi.

“We have no option but to sell vegetables at maximum prices. Prices of more than half a dozen items, especially green vegetables, have witnessed a sharp hike that has forced us to sell at maximum rates,” said Ganesh Rout, a retail vegetable seller of Laxmi Nagar. 

Meanwhile, onion prices in retail markets here have jumped above Rs 50 a kg on Monday, a rise of nearly Rs 20 a kg, or more than 50 <g data-gr-id="28">per cent</g>, in the last one month.