The rising concern

Healthy bites

Vegetables are a necessary part of our diet, whether it’s for the nutrients they contain or the extra taste they add to a meal. But with the price of vegetables shooting up, Bengalureans worry about when and from where the next nutritious meal will come. 

One of the reasons for the increasing prices is said to be the unexpected rains. “The rains and hailstorms have spoilt most of the fields. We are not able to supply all of the produce. A lot of produce has gone to waste,” says Kumar, a shop vendor in Nandini Layout.

 The decrease in production has in turn caused a decrease in supply, which has lead to the increase in prices. “What can we do if the vegetables are not in perfect shape? We don’t grow them,” says Ramu, another shopkeeper in Yeshwantpur. “The vegetables come in from different parts of the City and get spoiled in transit. If one wants the nice ones, they will have to pay a little extra,” he adds.

Another reason for the soaring prices is that the cost of transport has increased with the increase in fuel prices. “With petrol prices on the rise, we cannot deliver at a lesser price. We don’t want to suffer losses either,” said Annayya, who transports vegetables to Yeshwantpur.

Worries about the price rise is constantly on people’s minds. Kausar, a resident of Arekere, who buys her vegetables from local shops, says, “In many households in India, vegetables are the main ingredients of a meal. With the rising prices, I wonder how many people can afford a variety.” Ronica, a student, has come up with a strategy to help survive.

“I buy whatever is the cheapest for that day. I avoid vegetables that have increased in price.” She buys her grocery at local shops in Vasanthnagar. But this doesn’t stop her from worrying. “It gets really difficult when I am supposed to buy staple vegetables like onions and potatoes at a higher cost. It’s hard to do without them so I have to pay the price, no matter how high it is,” she says.

To Salma, a techie living near KR Puram, “cost of vegetables are equivalent to that of chicken now”. She adds that she buys her vegetables online or from some premium shops where the prices are at least twenty per cent higher than the markets. “At least I am guaranteed quality most of the time. I can compromise a bit on the price for quality.” Some residents have taken up organic farming in their backyards and terraces to deal with the inflation. They say growing vegetables on their own reduces their monthly expenses. Plus, they know what they are eating is healthy.
The prices in the markets don’t bother them much. “Once I started farming on my terrace, I realised that it worked out cheaper than buying vegetables every week from the markets at fluctuating prices,” says Usha, a resident of Vijayanagar, who grows staple vegetables like tomatoes, onions, carrots, beets, potatoes and greens like ‘pudina’, coriander, tulsi and curry leaves on her terrace. She further adds, “I can only grow so much with the available space. I wish I had a bigger terrace. The rest of the vegetables, I buy from the market.”  
While some people try to cut costs, others are not too worried. Fazil, a student who also works, says, “The increase in prices doesn’t really bother me. We have to pay for it if we want it.” As prices are expected to soar even higher with the coming monsoons, Bengalureans will just have to wait and watch what happens.