Vegetable prices soar due to water scarcity in Karimnagar

Karimnagar: It is not just mercury levels, the prices of vegetables in Karimnagar district also rising steeply. Farmers are unable to cultivate more vegetables due to water scarcity, which led to an increase in prices of certain vegetables.

While tomatoes have become dearer by at least three times their usual price, the rates of green chillies, Amaranth leaves (Thotakura), bitter gourd also jumped. The arrival of vegetables in markets too have dropped in the last two weeks resulting in large difference between demand and supply.

Given the current trend, Amaranth leaves, ladies fingers, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, cabbage, ivy gourd, drumsticks, brinjal, carrot, green chilli, cauliflower, cluster beans are the worst hit. The price of ladies fingers has shot up from Rs 70 per kg to Rs 100 as they were being brought from another place. Two bunches of Amaranth leaves will cost Rs 15.

Supply of all vegetable is much interrupted especially ridge gourd (beera kaya), whose average cost is skyrocketing, available at Rs 100 to Rs 120 per kg. Likewise, brinjal rate is Rs 60 to Rs 70 per kg; cluster beans (goru chikkudu) is Rs 90, drumsticks at Rs 120, cabbage at

Rs 50, beetroot Rs 50, capsicum at Rs 85, bitter gourd at Rs 90, and raw plantain Rs 25 per two in Karimnagar market.

The retail price of chilli has increased from Rs 40 to Rs 50 to Rs 80 to Rs 120 per kg for the past 15 days.

Both venders and customers are unhappy with the spiralling rates of vegetables in Karimnagar district. Water scarcity resulted in lack of production leading to sudden rise in the prices. If water shortage continues, then there will be severe shortage of vegetables in near future and this could further flare up the prices.