Prices of vegetables: Not a pea-sized problem

Double beans Rs108, Coriander Rs139, Peas Rs300: these are the prices of some veggies in the market, putting them out of reach of most Bangaloreans.

The prices of some vegetables and greens have gone up four to six times. For example, as on April 9, 2012, the price of a kg of coriander leaves rose more than six times to Rs139 from Rs23 a year ago, while that of beetroot spurted more than four times to Rs33 from Rs7. While the price of double beans surged three times to Rs108 from Rs36, the price of mint leaves more than doubled: a kilo of mint leaves now costs Rs43 compared to Rs19 last year. Prices of potato, curry leaves and tomato rose more than 50 per cent to Rs26, Rs35 and Rs30 from Rs16, Rs22 and Rs18 respectively.

These are the rates of vegetables sold by the outlets of Horticultural Producers’ Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society (Hopcoms). Prices would be even higher if one buys vegetables from a neighbourhood vendor.

Drought and fall in acreage of horticulture cultivation are being cited as the reasons for the decline in supply of vegetables and greens. “Scanty rain is a major reason for the decline in the volume of horticulture produce around Bangalore. People arrange marriages and house warming ceremonies in summer for which they need vegetables in bulk. This also increases the demand for vegetables,’’ Hopcoms president BV Chikkanna said, adding that the prices of vegetables and greens are expected to come down only after a month or two.

According to Hopcoms sources, onion is perhaps the only vegetable whose price has declined over the last year: a kg of onion costs Rs14 now compared to Rs70 last year. “Last year, we were forced to sell onion at a price which was lesser than the procuring price,’’ said a Hopcoms official.

The steep hike in prices has made it difficult for housewives from middle and lower income families to manage the kitchen. On an average, they have to shell out Rs300 more every month on vegetables. “Prices of all vegetables have doubled. I need to spend Rs300 to Rs400 more this month to buy vegetables,’’ said Padmavathy, a housewife.

The surge in vegetable prices has also resulted in huge losses for the hoteliers in the city. “I run 14 eateries in Bangalore. I have been incurring Rs1.50 lakh loss every month from each unit,’’ said KN Vasudeva Adiga, president, Greater Bangalore Hoteliers’ Association.

Adiga wants the state government to open cold storage units at all taluks to increase the shelf life of vegetables and greens. “Due to the lack of cold storage facilities, middlemen are thriving while farmers get pittance. The government has to show the political will to implement some concrete plans,’’ he said.

Vendors look for other avenues
Many vegetable vendors have come to the conclusion that selling vegetables is not a viable means to earn their bread. “Earlier, I needed around Rs1,000 a day to buy vegetables from the wholesale market, but now I need more than Rs2,000 to buy the same quantity of vegetables. There is no guarantee that I would be able to sell all the vegetables by evening. I have no option but to shift to selling fruits,’’ said K Mani, a vegetable vendor.