NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Vegetable prices in the state have gone up considerably due to short supply. There has been 20-25 per cent rise in the prices of vegetables compared to the prices prevailing in the month of April.
Drought in the neighbouring state of Maharashtra and others has hit the vegetable supply badly.
“Traders from various parts of Delhi and Maharashtra have flocked to Karnataka for fresh vegetables and keep transporting vegetables in bulk quantity to their native places either by railways or trucks,” revealed wholesaler and retailer Dayanand Amonkar.
Amonkar said that vegetable farmers are in a fix as there is sudden rise in demand from Delhi and Maharashtra, and as a result, Goan traders are facing tough time in getting quality vegetables.
In the past, Goa was only option for Karnataka vegetable growers, but now due to drought in Maharashtra, demand for vegetables has climbed up and there is no other way by which the demand can be met as Belgaum, Hubli and Dharwad are already facing water crisis.
“And, now vegetable growers are waiting for the rainfall since the dams, streams, wells and other water bodies have dried up in many parts of Karnataka,” revealed a vegetable vendor Mohiddin Bankapure.
“But some vegetable growers are very lucky to have ample water in their bore wells and wells located in their farms, which facilitate them to carry on with the cultivation,” he informed.
The wholesale vegetable scenario is very bad; there is always ‘fight’ for the price and wholesalers from other states are ready to buy the vegetables at any price being in demand there.
Alauddin Sheikh informed that supply of vegetables to Goa has been stopped and so no quality vegetables are available, and there is a lot of demand for fresh vegetables from Delhi and Maharashtra.
On Thursday, tomatoes were being sold at Rs 80-90 a kg and beans at Rs 150 a kg, green chillies at Rs 100, onions at Rs 20, potatoes at Rs 30, capsicum for Rs 80, carrots for Rs 60, and bhendis (ladies finger) for Rs 60.
A bunch of green coriander is available for Rs 30, methi bunch is being sold for Rs 20 and mint (pudina) bunch for Rs 10.
Ginger is being sold for Rs 100 a kg, garlic for Rs 160 a kg, cabbage Rs 40 each, beet root for Rs 40, and long beans for Rs 60 a kg.
A cauliflower is being sold for Rs 35 each, ridge gourd for Rs 70 and 3 bunches of spring onion for Rs 20.