BENGALURU: The Consumer Price Index-based retail inflation moderated slightly last month and brought smiles, but the relief has come to a rude end. The prices of vegetables have doubled, and even trebled, in Bengaluru and other major cities across the state. A kilogram of carrot, for instance, which cost Rs 50 just over a week ago now sells at Rs 90-120. Tomato has shot up to Rs 60 from Rs 25 a kilo, while green peas has touched Rs 250 from Rs 120 a fortnight ago.
While soaring prices of vegetables have upset kitchen budgets — especially in these homebound times when most meals are being eaten at home — those tracking the demand-and-supply situation say these prices are unlikely to see a drastic fall for at least a month.

The reason for the sharp rise in vegetable prices, Hopcoms and senior state government officials say, is due to the heavy rain lashing the state. “Whenever it rains continuously for 4-5 days, the crops start rotting. This results in a drop in supply and increase in prices. This happens almost every year,” a Hopcoms official said. Sources maintained that there has been a minimum 20% increase in vegetable prices across the board.
“The consumption of vegetables in our house has increased in the backdrop of Covid, and we cannot afford a price rise now. We hope there is some intervention from the government and relief is extended to consumers, especially the middle class who are struggling with job losses and dwindling incomes,” said Sushma Dev, a resident of Shantinagar.
Dip in demand for expensive veggies
Restaurant owners, who are looking to bounce back in business, are worse off. The owner of a restaurant in Malleswaram said: “A hike in vegetable prices will push us to the edge in this pandemic situation when footfall is already low. We cannot cut down on the portion of vegetables served or increase the price of dishes, we have to bear the burden.”
Traders in Bengaluru say there is a dip in demand for expensive vegetables over the past few days. M Raju, a vegetable vendor in Sanjayanagar, said, “The prices of only a few vegetables have gone up. People are buying less of costly vegetables and more of the cheaper ones.” Bengaluru’s vegetables come from Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts and these areas have got good rains in the past week.
Not just Bengaluru, other cities too have seen a sharp rise in vegetable prices in the past week. Prices have gone up by 10-30% in Mangaluru markets. Prices of locally grown vegetables like spinach have seen an increase of 30% compared to just a few days ago. In Mysuru, the price of beans, drumstick, carrot and radish are soaring. “Till last week, there was hardly any demand for the vegetables. Rates of all the major vegetables almost doubled in the one-and-a-half weeks,” said Suresh Siddappa, a vegetable vendor from Nanjumalige circle in Mysuru. Hubballi, though, has been spared in the price surge.