Barring a few exceptions, vegetables have become expensive than fruits in Belagavi with prices going up by at least 25 % in the last fortnight.
In the retail markets, a kg of the native variety of cucumber is sold at ₹ 60 to ₹ 70, capsicum ₹ 50 to ₹ 60 per kg, ginger and garlic ₹ 160 a kg each and coriander leaves ₹ 10 per bunch weighing 100 g, while seedless green grapes cost ₹ 40 to ₹ 50, citrus fruits such as orange cost ₹ 30 to ₹ 40, yelakki banana ₹ 40 to ₹ 50 and native banana ₹ 30 (for a dozen).
The prices of the best quality tomatoes have gone up from ₹ 10 over fortnight ago to ₹ 30 per kg now. The prices of green leafy vegetables have also gone up by 50 % and it is likely to escalate further by at least 50 % during the next fortnight, as indicated by vendors at Kaktives and Shaniwarkoot on Sunday. The increase in the prices of vegetables, which was bound to shoot up every passing week owing to shortage of water on account of the summer conditions and a third year of drought in the district, has hit hard families in the lower income group and the middle class. These sections have already been hit by steep increase in the prices of pulses and foodgrains, sugar and other commodities during the last two years. These families are now forced to cut down their consumption by half.
A buyer said that he used to buy a kg of tomatoes once in three or four days till recently but is now buying only half a kilogram.
He said that as the prices are bound to shoot up further very soon, “we have to cut down our consumption further and need to be more economical while buying vegetables till the monsoon sets in and prices start falling”.
Vendors said that the prices were shooting up due to a fall in production in view of shortage of water, leading to a decline in arrivals in the wholesale markets.
Meanwhile, a substantial stock of vegetables from the district went to Goa every day. Apparently, the typical demand-supply gap was growing and it would keep growing for at least three more months.
