Veggie prices crash after soaring through the roof

Having hit a century a month ago, vegetable prices have crashed closer to Makara Sankranti.

Traders attributed the crash to the surplus supply of vegetables from adjoining districts. The price of beans has especially crashed from Rs 120 a kilogram a month before to Rs 20. Carrot has also crashed from Rs 100 a kilo to Rs 60 at the Kalasipalya wholesale market.

“Prices remained higher until last week as we mostly relied on produce to come from the North Indian states. Untimely rain had affected crops in most southern states. Hence, prices were higher,” said Sridhar, a trader and member of the Kalasipalya (KR Market) Wholesale Vegetable Traders Association.

With the weather stabilising, the supply chain has been restored, he added.

Footfall at the market also remains low because of the curfew. “How do we celebrate festivals amidst a curfew,” a trader asked.

Prices of tomato and onions that skyrocketed due to quality issues also reduced considerably. While tomatoes are prices at Rs 30 a kilo at the wholesale market, onions are sold Rs 100 for three kilos in many areas of the city. Prices of ladies finger and brinjal remained somewhere between Rs 40 to 50 a kilo.

At the Yeshwantpur onion and potato markets, prices have stabilised. “Potatoes are coming in from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Hyderabad, whereas the onion supply is coming from Maharashtra and Karnataka,” said C Udayashankar, secretary, Onion and Potato Traders Association, Yeshwantpur. “Although the vegetables are not of the finest quality, some finer varieties are being sold at good prices.”

Traders found it challenging to predict market patterns due to the unpredictable weather condition. “Prices will soar if it rains in the next two weeks. Any unnatural change will reduce the quality,” Sridhar said. “We should just wait and see how the prices stay in the coming day.”

Same with flowers, fruits

The prices of flower have also not seen a rise.

At KR Market, jasmine is sold at Rs 800 per kilo, while crossandra is priced at Rs 500. The price of chrysanthemum (sevanthige) has remained at Rs 100 to 120, while button roses are priced at a slightly higher Rs 160 per kilo.

“We hardly find customers at the market now. During Sankranti, people mostly buy bananas. But this time, there is not much demand for that also,” said Elu Maley, a fruit trader in Electronics City.

The fruit prices have also not increased in the recent past. Oranges are being sold for Rs 50 to 80 per kg depending on the quality and size, and apples are being sold at Rs 90 to 120.

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