Cold season, rains spike vegetable prices

Karimnagar: The rising vegetable prices in the recent times have started burning holes in the consumers’ pockets which observers blame the frosty weather and unseasonal rains in the months of December and January which have affected vegetable yields across the State.

Vegetables cultivation is spread over three lakh hectares in Telangana state. Due to the unseasonal rainfall decreased the temperatures to 3 to 10 degree Celsius in the months of December January..

Vegetable production fell down at least 7quintal for acre. Therefore there is shortage of vegetable production in the state and that has caused spike in prices. Amaranth leave, lady’s finger, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, cabbage, ivy gourd, drumsticks, brinjal, carrot , chillies, cauliflower, cluster beans among others are the worst hit in this season.

To make up the shortage vegetables are imported from other states. Therefore, the prices of lady’s finger hovers between Rs 70 and Rs100 per kg in the market. Amaranth leaves are available for Rs1.

Supply of all vegetable is much interrupted especially of luffa of which prices have skyrocketed and they are sold for Rs 100 to Rs 120per kg, brinjal Rs 60 to 70 per kg, cluster beans (Goruchikkudu) Rs 90 per kg, drumsticks 120 per kg, cabbage Rs 50 per kg, beetroot Rs 50, capsicum Rs 85per kg, bitter guord for Rs 90 per kg and raw plantain Rs 25 per two pieces in the Karimnagar market.

The green chillies are being sold at Rs 80 -120 per kg as its price have increased by Rs 40 to 50 in the past 15 days. With the increase in vegetable prices both vendors and customers are unhappy. Now they are waiting for the normal season when the prices will come down.

By Bhagyanagar Bhaskar Kumar