Vegetable prices have soared across city markets.
The prices of cucumber, ridge gourd and brinjal have doubled.
Brinjal now costs ₹120 per kg, up from ₹60 about two weeks back. Cucumber sold for ₹80 per kg on Friday, up from ₹40 per kg, the same as ridge gourd in many markets.
Retailers are blaming the flooding of agricultural fields for the price rise.
A horticultural scientist said that the prices were up because many of the vegetables were in the early stages of harvesting. The prices will rationalise once more stocks arrive, said the scientist.
Hola Saha, a vegetable trader at Lake Market, said that prices of almost all vegetables have gone up, with brinjal witnessing the sharpest rise. "Brinjal sold at ₹60 per kg a fortnight ago, but it is now selling at double that price," said Saha.
Saha said the price of coriander leaves has risen from ₹140 per kg a fortnight ago to ₹200.
A vegetable seller at Haltu market said he did not procure brinjal because people were not buying them after the price rise. "I was not able to sell my old stock. So I did not procure fresh stocks. Owing to the high price, many people are not buying brinjal," he said.
A resident of north Calcutta who goes to Notun Bazar at Beadon Street said cucumbers were selling at ₹80 per kg on Friday. The vegetable cost ₹40 per kg about fifteen days ago, he said.
Jitesh Hore, dean (horticulture) at Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, blamed the price rise of vegetables on a low supply. Hore said many of the vegetables were in an early stage of harvest and the prices were high because the supply was lower than demand.
"Once more supplies come in, the prices will rationalise," he said.
Rabindranath Koley, a member of the state government-appointed task force to monitor prices of essential commodities, said the task force was visiting various markets in the city to ensure that retailers do not spike prices.
"Vegetables are now available throughout the year, but there is still a period when the supplies are low. More supplies of brinjal will come in a few weeks, and the price will rationalise," he said.