Rising mercury levels seem to have had their impact on arrivals at Rythu Bazars. Reduced cultivation, unfavourable climatic conditions and water scarcity continue to nag both farmers and consumers.
Around 800 quintals of vegetables used to arrive at MVP Rythu Bazar every day but the quantity has come down to 600 quintals. Fruits like mangoes and jackfruits are also included along with the vegetables.
In Seethammadhara rythu bazar, the arrivals have dropped from 800 quintals to 700 quintals and there was drop of 30 per cent at Narasimha Nagar Rythu Bazar.
Prices of vegetables have gone up. One bundle of coriander leaf costs Rs.6, potatoes is priced at Rs.19 per kilo gram in Rythu Bazars and the same is sold at Rs.25 in retail markets.
Beans, brinjal, capsicum, bottle-gourd and bitter-gourd were costly these days, said estate officer of Seethammadhara Rythu Bazar Ch. Krishna Murthy.
Wholesale traders in Poorna Market said unfavourable climatic condition and shortage of water led to low yield of crops.
Consequently the supply has come down and there is also an approximate hike of 20 per cent in the price of almost all the vegetables.
The situation would continue for the entire month unless the temperature comes down, said estate officer of MVP Rythu Bazar Prasad Gokada.
Water scarcity
Power and water scarcity are also owing to the low yield of crops, said a farmer K. Surya Narayana. “Crops need more water during summer and on top of that we don't have power supply at our place, Marrivalasa,” he lamented.
He is struggling to get power connection both at home and farm for the last five years but was not successful. “I have applied for the connection but no action was taken by the officials,” added the farmer.
Several consumers make do with vegetables like ribbed-gourd and ivy-gourd which are priced nominally. Others are forced to buy common varieties which are of low quality by paying double the price at the Rythu Bazars. Some are checking out alternatives like soya chunks, eggs, rajma, chickpeas and other pulses.
A visitor at Narasimha Nagar Rythu Bazaar Neelaveni Reddy cribbed about the choice of green leafy vegetables available.
“Owing to fewer arrivals in the market, the choice is less and we need to pay almost double the price for the meagre quality,” she said.
As a matter of fact, mangoes are seen more at rythu bazars than vegetables.
