Bhubaneswar, Oct. 9: Vegetable prices have shot up again because of post-flood supply shortage and a spurt in demand for the holy month of Kartik beginning Wednesday.

Vegetable sellers predict a further rise in prices as the local production of vegetables has been severely hit due to the month-long incessant rain and two subsequent floods.

Although Orissa depends on states such as, Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh for vegetables such as, pointed gourd, potato, onion, cabbage, cauliflower, French beans, thorn gourd and pumpkin, vegetables such as brinjal, local variety of pointed gourd, ridge gourd, bitter gourd, cucumber, country beans and ladies finger are gradually becoming popular among local farmers.

The floods have, however, devastated the crops both along the Mahanadi river system and other areas along Brahmani and Mahanadi river systems.

Kabiraj Swain, secretary, Raw Vegetable Market Association, said: “The entire belt starting from Athagarh through Bargarh to Balangir is now producing brinjal and except the winter season, Orissa has become self-dependent in the production. However, the floods in Mahanadi has affected the belt so much that while the area should supply around 100 tonnes of brinjal per day, the production has come down to 20 to 30 tonnes. Similarly, the Nayagarh and Pipili belt, famous for the local varieties pointed gourd supplying 30 to 40 tonnes of produce in a day, has stopped the supply completely.”

Cauliflower has become a popular vegetable for cultivation starting from the outskirts of Bhubaneswar up to the inner pockets of the undivided Cuttack district. Places such as Naharkanta, Cuttack Sadar and 22 Mouza were severely affected by floodwaters. So, the cauliflower saplings were destroyed.

“The area supplies cauliflower for three months starting from the month of Kartik. But this year after the flood havoc farmers started planting the saplings again. So, we will not get cauliflower from local production. As a result there will be more pressure from the vegetables from Bangalore. Daily requirement of cauliflower in peak season for Bhubaneswar is around 80 to 100 trucks but this year only produce from Koraput region is available which is small in size,” Swain added.

Country beans are also in great demand. However, not only floods, incessant rain in the belt, including in Athagarh and Balugaon areas, has affected the production. The Unit-I vegetable market and Ainginia vegetable market (depot) are two major points where the merchants do business of around 450 to 500 tonnes of vegetables per day. While Unit-I Market supplies to the city and adjacent areas starting from Puri to Jagatsinghpur, Ainginia even supplies potato, onion and garlic to the entire state.

Akshaya Kumar Rath, a businessman from Old Town area, said: “The price rise just before the holy month of Kartik will affect the food bill of all families, especially people belonging to the middle income group. Generally senior citizens, who love to take vegetarian diets at least for Kartik month, will feel the pinch.’’

“The floods this year could be a simple excuse. But the way our vegetable production is heading and because of our over-dependence on the production of other states, we could suffer in future if the neighbouring states get affected by natural calamities,” said company executive Gagan Bihari Swain.

Sibadutta Kar, an engineer working with an amusement park in the city, said: “The prices quoted by local retail vendors are Rs 6 to Rs 8 more than the prices of Unit-I Market. Of course the traders have to get their transportation costs reimbursed from the buyers, but during the post-flood situation and Kartik month, the price rise will definitely affect all classes and economic groups.”

A vegetable merchant at Unit-I market, however, explained that from the merchants the vegetables pass through retail sellers, sub-retail sellers and cabin owners in the colonies. “So, after buying the products in bulk from us at three levels, the vegetables are again sorted according to their sizes.

But the retail purchasers in the colonies finally buy the choicest vegetables without damage, making the price little higher than the “mandi” price,” said the vegetable merchant.