Scanty rainfall in different states has resulted in soaring of prices of fruits and vegetables, which is burning a hole into the common man’s pocket. There is hardly any vegetable which is less than Rs 40 per kg and the prices of fruits are also on the higher side.

The potatoes which are frequently consumed by majority of people are being sold Rs 25 per kg while the sweet potatoes are priced between Rs 15 to 20 per kg.

As per the rates of retail vegetable shops, “The capsicum is Rs 40 per kg, peas Rs 60 per kg, French beans Rs 40 per kg, cauliflower Rs 40 per kg, reddish Rs 30 per kg, bitter gourd Rs 40 per kg etc, and briunjal Rs 30 per kg.”

The only cheaper vegetables are onion, priced at 15 per kg and tomato priced at Rs 20 per kg.

Not only vegetables, but fruits are also being sold at very high price. While bananas is being sold at Rs 40 per dozen, apple Rs 6-70 per kg, and mausami at Rs 80 per kg.

Amardeep Singh, general secretary of Punjab State Fruit and Vegetable Commission Agent Associationm said, “Beacuse of meagre rainfall, banana and mausami produce have been severly affected in Maharashtra and Hyderabad. We hope that by October-end, the situation will improve as banana crop of Gujarat will be ready by that time. I think bananas will become cheaper then. Similarly, with apples from Jammu and Kashmir having started coming in, the prices of apples will also come down now.”

... contd.