- Prices of fruits and vegetables are skyrocketing
- Inflation hits pockets of common people
Kavita Singh Rathore, Bhopal
Like previous years, this year too, the rainy season is becoming a cause of trouble for the people of the capital. Because, along with the food items used in everyday life, vegetables are also getting expensive.
Due to which, the life of poor and middle class families is becoming difficult. Inflation is already skyrocketing for the common man everywhere.
In such a situation, the prices of vegetables have troubled people a lot. Garlic and onion are making people cry, while tomatoes have spoiled the taste of vegetables. Other vegetables are also disappearing from the plates. The prices of some vegetables have crossed the century mark. There is no hope of vegetables becoming cheaper during the rains. Be it food items or vegetables, its prices do not increase just like that. The reason behind this is black marketing and hoarding. Hoarding has the biggest role in the increase in prices. Because, when the vegetable season arrives, the commission agents and moneylenders store these vegetables in cold storage beyond their limit. After this, when the rainy season arrives, they charge arbitrary prices for these vegetables from the retailers. Due to this, the retailers also sell the vegetables at a higher price to the buyers and it becomes very difficult for the customers to buy them.
Price of vegetables in rainy season
Vegetables Per kg
Apple 200 to 220 rupees
Onion 18 to 22, 25 to 30 rupees
Tomato 100 to 120 rupees
Okra 40 to 42 rupees
Terminalia 40 rupees
Plum 50 to 60 rupees
Lemon 25 to 50 rupees
Cucumber 30 to 40 rupees
Connivance with the food department
These moneylenders are able to store vegetables at their own arbitrary prices and beyond the limit with the connivance of the food department. Neither the food department nor the administration is able to control these activities of vegetable traders. Hoarders have been continuously carrying out activities like hoarding and black marketing. Usually garlic is expensive due to its high consumption during winters, but at present its price is also seen floating in the air. On the other hand, the price of other vegetables like cabbage, potato, spinach, fenugreek, brinjal and ladyfinger is between 40 to 80 rupees per kg. While, the price of tomatoes is between 80 to 120 rupees per kg.
Pulses are also creating trouble
These days it is becoming difficult for people to even eat roti. Because, along with vegetables, all kinds of pulses have also reached 180 to 270 rupees per kg in the market. The reason for the increase in the price of all these food items is hoarding as well as the supply chain being affected. During the rainy season, movement of big vehicles becomes a bit difficult. Due to which sometimes vegetables take more time to reach and they get spoiled. Due to this, vegetable vendors are forced to sell vegetables at a higher price.
Fruit trader Mohammad Mustaq says that fruits and vegetables become expensive in the rain. The most expensive fruit at this time is apple. Its price these days is 200 to 250 rupees per kg. The reason for this is that these are off-season fruits, but on-season fruits like mangoes are also available at 70-80 rupees per kilo.
– Mohammad Mushtaq, trader
Onion trader Azam Ali says that due to rain, onions get infected. Due to which they rot. Due to low production and high demand, onions become expensive. At present, onions are available at 40-30 rupees per kilo.
– Azam Ali, Onion trader
Due to vegetables being expensive, we are not able to eat many types of vegetables. Vegetables without onion and tomato seem tasteless, but what can one do in such high inflation. The government should think about how the poor are living.
– Hansa Sen, housewife
Vegetable trader Ramji Lal says that vegetables get spoiled due to the last rain. Therefore, production is less and many vegetables also get spoiled.
– Ramji Lal, vegetable trader
Vandana, who is buying vegetables from Piplani market, says that all vegetables are very expensive and get spoiled very quickly. Due to which too many vegetables cannot be stored at once. Every day we have to buy expensive vegetables and eat them.
– Vandana, housewife
When vegetables become expensive, we have to increase our prices too. In such a situation, many times people cancel the order. Many times we have to talk in advance, but due to vegetables becoming expensive, we have to bear losses. In such a situation, many times we have to be satisfied with less.
– Sachin, Caterer
