After unseasonal rains, fuel price hike to pinch Mumbai households harder

The rise in fuel prices is set make life miserable for Mumbaikars, who are already struggling with rising vegetable prices due to unseasonal rains, not to mention a big chunk of produce that is being bought at wholesale rate for the wedding season.

Now, with staples like potatoes and peas being sold at a whopping Rs20 per kg and Rs50 per kg respectively, the household budget is at a severe risk of going kaput. While prices of brinjal and cauliflower have increased to 60/kg, prices of carrots, green chillies, cabbage and tomatoes have gone up to Rs40 per kg.

Onions and garlic, which form an important part of the Indian diet, are selling at a steep Rs60 per kg. Vijay Avhad, who sells vegetables at retail rates at Grant Road, said, “Unseasonal rains in November and December led to the spoiling of about half the vegetable crop, including onions, methi (fenugreek), coriander, spinach, garlic and cauliflower. This has caused a steep increase in the prices of vegetables, so much that even a small bundle of methi costs Rs15.”

Manoj Chauhan, a retail vegetable vendor at Nana Chowk, believes that the rise in vegetable prices is also a result of the ongoing wedding season. “Almost half the vegetables coming into the city are being sold to wedding caterers at wholesale prices. This leaves us with no other option than to hike the prices of vegetables available for retail sale. We are currently working on really small margins. A further increase in prices would ruin our profits completely,” he added.

So how are Mumbai households coping with this sharp price hike? While some haven’t felt the pinch so much, there are many who have reduced the quantity of vegetables they normally buy.

Rachana, a home maker, said, “Certain essential vegetables need to be bought irrespective of their market price. Nothing can be done about them. To cope with the price escalation, I do not buy in bulk anymore. I purchase only that which is needed. I’ve also reduced the quantity of onions and garlic in my daily shopping to almost half.”

Malkit Singh, managing committee member of All India Motor Transport Congress believes it is the common man who is affected every time prices are hiked. “While transporting goods, 60% of the fuel cost is borne by us. A rise in the price of fuel increases the rent of trucks. These additional costs are passed on through the wholesalers and retailers to the end consumer. The way things are going, it seems there will be no respite for Mumbaikars from this price hike at least for the next six months,” he added.