It’s natural that prices of vegetables soar when rains fail owing to slump in yield or during the festive occasions with rise in demand.
But, this year, for the first time in a decade, the scenario turned grim, as the prices of vegetables skyrocketed, literally, in Chittoor district, which is known to be number one in vegetable cultivation in Rayalaseema, and even finding the way to the markets of Bengaluru and Chennai.
With the district recording “minus 76 mm” rainfall in June, vegetable growers, vendors and people have been hit hard.
To further the problem, June witnessed the maximum number of marriages and betrothal functions.
While the prices of onions and tomato have been stable, other vegetables meant for community dinners have turned expensive.
Beans which was sold at ₹80 a kg last week is now commanding a price tag of ₹160 a kg; carrot is priced at ₹80, double the price of last week. Brinjal and ladies finger are sold at ₹60 a kg. Homemakers are shocked at the prices of coriander leaves and ginger which are commanding ₹50 a bundle (as against ₹20 last week), and ₹250 a kg (as against ₹160 last week). The price of green chilli has doubled at ₹200 a kg.
To make things worse, the price of garlic has also shown an increase this week, selling at ₹150 a kg (fine variety) as against ₹100.
Going by the present market trend, the catering dynamics have changed phenomenally at not only star hotels in Tirupati and Nellore, but also with all the catering units attached to marriage halls.
At a star hotel in Tirupati, the cost of a single plate has been hiked from ₹450 to ₹525. The middle class families performing the betrothal and marriage functions are forced to cut down the quantum of vegetables in cooking and serving to the guests.
“Strange, we are cooking as per the dictates of our customers. Cutting down the quantum of vegetables will result in poor taste of stuff such as sambhar, kurma and vegetable rice and curries. We are helpless, though we know the guests would feel it bad as they search for vegetables in their plates,” Mani, an experienced hand in catering business in Chittoor said.
Villain of the piece
“Adding that one particular thing — coriander leaves — is playing the villain. It has the capacity to supplant any defect in catering, but our customers are not listening to us.”
Apart from functions, the hotel industry is dampening the mood of customers, by cutting down the quantity of vegetables in the servings. Instead of two or three curries, the serving is limited to one in most restaurants.
Homemakers complain that though they took a hard decision to adjust things with the greens twice a week, they were disappointed as greens too had jumped their price tag of last week. Some vendors are dishonestly splitting a bundle of greens into two to make a fast buck.
