Bhubaneswar, June 25: Shortage of supply has pushed up vegetable prices and upset the household budget of the common man. The cost of almost every vegetable, barring potatoes and onions, has shot through the roof with the hike ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 30 per kilogram.

“Rising prices of essential commodities have burnt a hole in our pocket. It is especially difficult for the middle-income group. I am a vegetarian and it is hard for me to include different varieties of vegetables in my daily menu,” said Prafulla Kumar Mohanty, a retired police officer.

Vendors attributed the rise in price to the loss of local vegetable crop owing to the heat wave conditions that had gripped the state, particularly the coastal belt. The mercury had nearly touched 47°C in Bhubaneswar earlier this month.

“A considerable amount of vegetables that the farmers produce just before the monsoon went waste this year. The vegetables could not survive the heat that prevailed in the state until mid June,” said Unit-I daily market general secretary Gaydhar Swain.

The prices of some vegetables in the city have almost doubled as compared to last year’s rates. This sharp increase is in the range of Rs 20-30 per kg depending on the vegetable. Even potatoes and onions now cost Rs 16 and Rs 14 a kg respectively.

At present, Bhubaneswar and its peripheral areas consume nearly 300 tonnes of potatoes and 100 tonnes of onions. “However, we don’t have records of the exact quantity of other vegetables being sold in the market since many small-time traders are involved in the business,” said a trader.

“I have less choice of vegetables to cook these days. Now, it is just potatoes for lunch and dinner. Imagine having a diabetic at home and having nothing but potatoes to cook,” said homemaker Rupa Swain, 44.

A senior member of the traders’ organisation in Unit-I daily market, Santosh Sahu, said the prices would not come down at least for the next two months. “The new crops will come only after two months. We have to wait until then and see what happens,” he said, adding that the neighbouring states of Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand, which supply vegetables to Odisha, had also been affected by the heat wave. “As businessmen, we are also feeling the heat of the rising prices,” he said.

The rise in fuel prices has also pushed up the transportation cost of the vegetables. “Despite keeping a low profit margin, the customer turnout has been disappointing over the past fortnight,” said Abhaya Sahoo, a vendor.

“Earlier, I had my bag full after spending just about Rs 100. Now, I have to spend at least double that amount,” said Mitali Pradhan, a schoolteacher.