Telangana: Vegetable price hike hits daily life in Nalgonda

Except tomato, bottle guard and cucumber, prices of all other vegetables were above Rs 80 per kilogram in Rythu Bazars in Nalgonda

Nalgonda: A sharp rise in vegetable prices in markets in the district has hit daily life hard.

Except tomato, bottle guard and cucumber, prices of all other vegetables were above Rs 80 per kilogram in Rythu Bazars in Nalgonda. The prices of vegetables were 5 to 10 percent higher at roadside vegetable stalls. This is after vegetable crop yield fell during winter.

The price of ladies finger, ridge gourd and cluster beans was Rs 100 per kg while that of broad beans touched Rs 80 per kg. The price of bitter gourd was as high as Rs 60 per kg. Tomato and cucumber were cheaper, with their yield being high during winter. Even there, the price of tomato, which was Rs 10 per kg just three days ago, has now shot up to Rs 30 a kg now. The price of cucumber was Rs 40 per kg at vegetable markets.

Speaking to Telangana Today, a customer K Naveen Kumar, who came to the Rythu Bazar at Nalgonda, said he was forced to spend Rs 500 to Rs 700 for vegetables a week due to the hike in prices. This was below Rs 300 per week earlier, he said.

Another customer A Bhasker Reddy said he was purchasing only leafy vegetables, tomato, bottle gourd and cucumber to cut down on expenditure.

A vegetable vendor R Kistaiah said people had cut down on the quantity of vegetables they buy and were preferring tomato, bottle gourd and cucumber now. The situation had also increased demand for leafy vegetables, he added.

The hike has seen prices at curry points too going up, with curries that used to be sold at Rs 15 a packet now being sold for Rs 20 a packet.

• Prices of most vegetables cross Rs 80 a kilo

• Ladies finger, ridge gourd, cluster beans sold at Rs 100 per kg

• Broad beans sold at Rs 80 per kg

• Bitter gourd sold at Rs 60 per kg

• Cucumber sold at Rs 40 a kg

• Tomato prices shoot up from Rs 10 a kg to Rs 30 a kg