Vegetable prices have shot up in steel city and its adjoining areas, as vendors attributed it to the current spell of rains disrupting supply.
A survey of vegetable markets at Sakchi, Bistupur, Sonari, Telco and Adityapur in adjoining Seraikela- Kharsawan district, showed a rising trend in vegetable prices during the last couple of days.Homemakers complained about their battle to manage the household budget at a time when they are already facing the Covid crisis.
“Tomato, which I used to purchase between Rs 15 and Rs 20 per kg till two days ago, is being sold at Rs 40 per kg today,” said Pushpa Singh, a homemaker at Sakchi.
Potato prices have shot up by Rs 8 to Rs 12 per kg as fewer trucks were arriving at the Sakchi vegetable market from Bengal. The staple, which was available at between Rs 15 and Rs 17 per kg two days ago, is being sold between Rs 25 and Rs 30 per kg.
The prices of other vegetables such as bitter gourd, cauliflower, cabbage, carrot and spinach have also gone up.
Cauliflower was selling at Rs 30 per piece — double of what it was available last week while bitter gourd was sold at Rs 30 per kg against Rs 20 per kg a few days ago.
Carrots were also sold at Rs 30 per kg against Rs 20 per kg a couple of days ago.
The prices of spinach, the bulk of which is brought from Patamda and Bodam blocks of East Singhbhum, also witnessed a rise from Rs 15 per kg to Rs 20 per kg.
“Recent rains after the onset of monsoon prompted a rise in vegetable prices,” said Sanjay Mandal, a vegetable vendor at Sakchi adding that the price rise is expected to continue for another few weeks.
There has been a similar hike in prices of French beans and other items.
Rajesh Singh, a retail vegetable vendor at Bistupur, said they see no immediate relief.
“Price increased after the rains as vegetables got damaged in the field and local supply got affected. Now we depend on the supply of green vegetables from outside the state. Tomato is coming from Bangalore and pointed gourd (parwal) is coming from Bengal,” he said.
There weren’t any changes in the prices of onions and chillies, which continued to be sold at Rs 20 per kg and Rs 30 per kg respectively in the Steel City markets.
Met department statistics revealed that since the onset of monsoon on June 13, the city received around 180mm of rain, which was much more than normal.