COMMONMAN are still to recover from the financial instability suffered during COVID-19 and the soaring prices of veggies have added to the multiple woes and financial crunch faced by this section of the society. As compared to the first week of December 2019, despite better yield the prices of vegetables are soaring by 25-30 per cent in the market across the state. However, with the implementation of lockdown from the month of March, the prices of veggies that scooped to the highest level have come down by 50 per cent with the arrival of winter season crop. While talking to this scribe, a vegetable grower and President of Shriram Thok Sabji Vikreta Sangh, Dumartarai T Shriniwas Reddy informed that state-wide vegetable growers have recorded good yield and the steady demand has provided some solace to recover dull commercial activities and losses suffered during the no-work time of lockdown. The existing prices of vegetables are around 25 per cent higher in comparison to the corresponding year, he added.

 

Despite good crops followed with higher demands, there is a shortfall in the demand-n-supply in the local wholesale and retail market. This has been mainly attributed to the agents of wholesalers from neighbouring states who are purchasing for their respective clients at Bihar, MP, UP, Maharashtra and Odisha directly from veggie growers. Earlier, local wholesalers were the medium for supplying of vegetables to the local retail marketplace and to clients of other states. But, with the new direct sell-purchase option the selected good quality produce is going out of the state while remaining low grade quantity is supplied to the local market at higher rate taking advantage of the shortfall against demand, Reddy added. Detailing on the 50 per cent drop in prices while being higher by 25 per cent compared to last year, Reddy said that the lockdown period witnessed unexpected increase in vegetable prices.

 

Green Coriander (Dhaniya) was sold at Rs 500 per kg, lady finger (Bhindi) at Rs 60-70, Bitter Gourd (Karela) at Rs 80, Sweet Guard (Lauki) at Rs 30-40, Green Chilly at Rs 100 and Brinjal (Baigan) was sold at Rs 50 per kg. Similarly, Bengaluru and Nasik was catering to the local demand of tomato at wholesale price of Rs 50 per kg and sold by local retailers at Rs 80. If compared to these scooping wholesale prices few months back with today’s rate, coriander is sold at Rs 10-15 per kg, tomato at Rs 20, green chilly at Rs 15, lady finger at Rs 40, brinjal at Rs 5 – 8, green peas – Rs 25, drum stick at Rs 40, cauli flower and carrot at Rs 25 per kg. Overall, the vegetable growers are reaping good benefit and the local customers are at the receiving end for the prices being on the higher side, Reddy added.