New Delhi: Possibilities of regular supply of vegetables have cooled down their prices in the wholesale market but in the retail market, prices are still disturbing the kitchen budget. Also, the garlic prices have caused the housewives’ expenses to double.
According to official data, the inflation rate of vegetable soared to 15 per cent in September and vegetable prices at retail shops doubled.
Despite the government’s attempts to control onion and tomato prices, in big cities, onion is available at more than `50 per kg while tomato is touching the `60-80 per kg level. Garlic prices are `250-300 per kg, while those of green vegetables are also getting costly. Amid this, the staple potato has also started to soar.
“I am paying more than `1,000 these days for a quantity of vegetables that I was getting in ` 500 two months back. It has changed my kitchen budget,” said Sarika, a housewife and resident of Mandawali in east Delhi.
She said prices of green vegetables like cauliflower and pointed gourd have gone up along with onion, tomato and garlic.
According to the list of prices available at website of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, onion price in the retail market in Delhi was `52 per kg on Friday, while September 18; it was at `52 per kg. However, during this month, the prices of onion jumped up to `60 per kg, the data showed.
As per this price list, tomato retail price on Friday was `56 per kg while on September 18; it was `36 per kg. Hence, the tomato is still `20 costly as compared to last month while in the last few days, it jumped up to `60 per kg.
In a statement, the Ministry Friday said that the Mother Dairy has assured not to sell tomato at more than `55 per kg at its Safal outlets.
According to the officials, the price list of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee, the wholesale price of onion at Azadpur market Friday was `17.50-35 per kg while the supply was 703.5 tonnes. Also, the wholesale price of tomato was `12-40 per kg and supply was 349.7 tonnes.
Potato’s wholesale price in Azadpur market was `6-24 per kg while its supply was 1,478.1 tonnes. “In the main supplier states of onion and tomato, water levels have come down in the field, hence, an increase in the supply is expected,” said an official of the APMC.
The retail inflation data released this week said that the inflation rate of vegetables was soared to 15.40 per cent in September against the corresponding period last year.
