Vegetable prices rise as lockdown impacts supply in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Plating up a hot meal of sambar or rasam-rice has now become an expensive affair for many households, courtesy the spiralling cost of vegetables — especially tomato, potato and carrot.
The retail price of tomato, on Friday, saw a three time rise from Rs 18 per kg to Rs 60. Prices of potato and carrot (per kg) also rose by Rs 7 to Rs 8 in recent times. “Due to the lockdown, prices of vegetables have increased drastically. Only a month ago, I was able to purchase one kg of hybrid tomatoes for a maximum Rs 20 a kg from street vendors. But now, they are selling it for no less than Rs 60 per kg,” said Annapurna V, a homemaker from Karkhana.

Vendors from the Bowenpally market attributed this jump to the stalled arrival of vegetables from adjoining districts because of the pandemic.
“Arrival of vegetables has been slow at Bowenpally market, the largest wholesale market in the city, for the past two weeks. Since mid-June, we are shuttling between Shamshabad market and Bowenpally market to get vegetables,” said Seenu, a retail seller.
Officials too reiterated that the supply from some districts and neighbouring states, due to the lockdown, had dipped. “It is a lean season for vegetables. Telangana receives vegetables from other places. However, due to the lockdown, arrival of some vegetables has been slow, resulting in a sharp rise in prices,” said Lakshmi Bai, director, agricultural marketing department.