After tomatoes, ginger prices turn too hot to handle

Prices of ginger have hit an all-time high of Rs 250 to Rs 300 per kg in the retail market even as consumers bear the brunt of the rise in prices of tomatoes.

Deficit rains during the monsoon season have affected ginger production, pushing up the prices.

Trader Amar Kugaji at Raviwar Peth said, “We procure ginger from Kerala, Maharashtra and Shivamogga in Karnataka. Prices last week were Rs 200 per kg and it is a norm during this time of the year. But a sudden rise in prices has been witnessed for over a week.”

Trader Faiz Attar said, “We are trading in ginger and garlic for over 40 years since the time of my father. We get ginger from Himachal Pradesh and prices were in the range of Rs 50 to Rs 100 per kg and sometimes increased to Rs 150 per kg. This year, we have witnessed a huge rise and customers have started purchasing lesser quantity than needed.”

“Ever since Covid-19 broke out, people were using ginger in more quantity for preparing ‘kashaya’. It is a must for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies. Shops selling ginger flavoured tea too have increased. These could be the reasons for the rise in prices,” he said.

Customer Nagaraj Desai said, “We need ginger for kashaya, tea and different chutneys. We are forced to buy the commodity, despite the high prices, as there is no alternative to it.”

Hotelier Durgappa Naik said, “We use ginger for most of the items we prepare. Prices of vegetables have already increased and now, ginger prices have doubled. We will be forced to increase the rates, if the trend continues.”

Suresh Punyannavar, marketing assistant at APMC, Belagavi, said the price of ginger a fortnight ago at APMC was Rs 230 a kg. It has now increased to Rs 250, he added.