Nizamabad: Public bears brunt of high vegetable prices

Nizamabad: Coriander leaf is currently on the list of rising essentials like the petrol, diesel and gas. Its use is mandatory in almost all curries, not to mention its role in meat dishes. It is currently priced at Rs 325 to Rs 375 per kg. The coriander leaf is being imported exclusively from Coimbatore, Maharashtra and Bangalore.

Until Sunday, a kilo of coriander leaf was between Rs 80-100 but the price has risen dramatically as crop acreage has shrunk and was damaged by the recent heavy rains.

A wholesale vegetable trader from Armor said that they sell 100 kg to 120 kg of coriander leaf everyday and now it is difficult to sell even 10 to 15 kg. Although the government says that the farmers should focus on alternative crops but farmers are not cultivating crops in line with market demand.

With the advent of auspicious days, vegetable prices have skyrocketed. In Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts, the vegetable prices quoted below are volatile in the retail market, hovering around Rs 60 per kg and close to Rs 100 per kg.

Vegetables like carrot, cauliflower, cabbage, radish , tomato, onion, ladies finger, bottle gourd, bitter melon, brinjal, cucumber, green chilly, colocasia root, spine gourd, runner beans, cluster beans, green long beans ,French beans, drumstick costs Rs 110 per, lemon costs 80 Rs per kg. A small bundle of green onion costs Rs10 and three small bundle of costs 20 Rs.

There is a need to divert farmers towards coriander leaf and vegetable cultivation. It would be useful to encourage farmers to cultivate crops that are in demand in those areas.