Bhubaneswar: Adding to the woes of the people already suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, retail prices of vegetables have witnessed a sharp in the state. The government, on the other hand, is a mute spectator doing virtually nothing to alleviate the burden.
While the retail price of potatoes in the state stood at `32 a kg Thursday, tomatoes were selling for `60 a kg, up from `25 and `30 respectively, July 1. However, the price of kitchen essential onion is somewhat stable at `20 a kg.
The prices of other vegetables including brinjal, pointed gourd, cucumber, bins, cauliflower, carrot and cabbage have also spiraled upwards. In Bhubaneswar markets, the retail price of brinjal sold at `50 per kg, cucumber at `40, beans at `80, drum stick at `120 a kg, cauliflower at `35 per piece, carrot at `40 a kg, bitter melon at `40 and cabbage at `50 a kg. The price of only one vegetable – ladies finger – being sold at Rs30 per kg is within the reach of consumers.
“During this lockdown, prices of vegetables have increased drastically. Only a month ago, I was able to purchase one kg of tomatoes for a maximum `30 a kg from street vendors. But now, they are selling it for no less than `60 per kg,” said Pravat Nalini Mohapatra, a homemaker from Fire Station area.
“My salary has been reduced in view of the lockdown and in this situation, the vegetable and oil price hike has made it difficult to run the family,” said Biplab Dash, a young professional said.
Sources in the market said there is no shortage of any vegetable or essential goods in the state. But the lockdown has contributed to the retail price hike. Many, who have lost their livelihood, are now selling vegetables on road sides.
Ironically, the wholesale price of the essential goods is far below their retail price. The wholesale price of potato in the local market Thursday was `2,300 to `2,400 per quintal while the wholesale price of onion was `1,300 per quintal. It means the gap between wholesale and retail price is more than `6 per kg.
Talking to Orissa POST, All Odisha Traders Association general secretary Sudhakar Panda said, “It is true that the retail price of vegetables is up. But, the wholesale price has more or less remained stable. The gap between the wholesale and retail prices have widened may be due to the lockdown restrictions.”
On the pretext of the pandemic, the government too has turned a blind eye to the consumers’ woes. So far no action has been taken to check the prices or any action taken against those selling the commodities at a premium.
Biswa Bhusan Mohapatra, OP