Vegetables price soar in Patna as local supply chain hit

PATNA: The prices of onions and other seasonal vegetables have soared in the city, burning a hole in the common man’s pocket.
While the cost of onion in the retail market has surged from Rs 15 to Rs 30 per kg in a fortnight, the price of cabbage has also gone up from Rs 10 to Rs 25-30 per kg. Similarly, the price of bottle gourd has soared to Rs 30 and that of pointed gourd risen to Rs 70. Tomatoes are priced at Rs 50-60 per kg and eggplants at Rs 50 per kg.
Sellers at the Phulwarisharif market told this newspaper on Saturday that the local supply of most vegetables had almost dried up in the last few days because of rainfall and floods, leading to a gap in demand and supply and a surge in prices.
“Since the local supply has been affected, I am buying coriander leaves from my wholesale supplier for Rs 400 per kg because he brings them from Bengaluru. And people here want us to give them coriander leaves and chillies for free. How do we do that?,” asked Chandan Kumar, a vegetable seller at Police Colony near Anisabad.
A vendor on Anisabad Mor, Dina Nath Chaudhary, attributed the rise in veggie prices to increased transportation costs due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The cost of transporting nearly 5 tons of tomatoes and cabbages from Bengaluru to Patna is Rs 1,18,000 and Rs 1,40,000, respectively. Consequently, tomatoes that sell for Rs 20 per kg in Bengaluru cost around Rs 60 per kg in Patna,” Chaudhary claimed.
Pramod Kumar Pandey, who procures large supplies of vegetables for hotels and banquet halls from the Mithapur Mandi, pointed out that the quality of vegetables had also deteriorated because of the erratic changes in weather. “My clients have been complaining about the bad quality of vegetables. Most of them are either rotten or damaged,” he said.
Not just seasonal vegetables, the prices of beans and capsicums have also shot up. On Boring Road, French beans are being sold for Rs 70 per kg as opposed to Rs 50 last week. Capsicums, which were priced at Rs 40-45 per kg last week, are now available for Rs 70.
The sudden rise in vegetable prices has disturbed the budget of many households.
“Prices are on fire because of which I am buying less vegetables. My wife only cooks chickpeas and ‘rajma’ for us these days,” rued Amrendra Kumar from Kankarbagh.
Rajeev Nagar resident Premlata Devi said, “The prices of onion, garlic and ginger have skyrocketed. Garlic was being sold for Rs 80 per kg a week ago, but now it is priced at Rs 150. It is difficult for me to run a household.”