It’s going to be a gloomy end to the year for the common man. With prices of vegetables and fruits going through the roof, most food items have become unaffordable for Mumbaikars. And there seems to be no respite in sight, as prices are not expected to normalise anytime soon.
According to traders, one of the primary reasons for prices of food items to double over last year is the unseasonal rainfall that was induced by Cyclone Phyan, a couple of weeks back.
In the wholesale market, price of onions has shot up from Rs100 for 10kg last year to Rs200-250. Potatoes have also become dearer; with price of 10kg going up from Rs70 to Rs170. Prices of most vegetables in the wholesale market have shown a rise of at least 50% over last year.
What is further adding to the woes is that the new crop of vegetables, which was expected to flow into the market mid-November, has still not reached the traders.
According to Balasaheb Varhadi, a wholesale vegetable trader, the new stock of vegetables is expected to flow into the market only by February.
It’s not only potatoes and onions but lady’s finger prices have also doubled from Rs150 for 10kg last year to Rs300. Cucumber is being sold at Rs300 for 10 kg as against Rs150 last year and prices of capsicum and tomato have also seen a 100% rise over last year.
Capsicum is priced at Rs300 for 10kg and tomato at Rs100 for 10kg.
If the prices of vegetables are drilling a hole in the common man’s pocket, pulses have become a luxury. The wholesale market price of tur dal, urad dal and moong dal are Rs7,700, Rs7,500 and Rs8,200 per quintal respectively. The average price rise for all three pulses is about 50%.
