Prices of vegetables have gone up substantially along with the increasing price of onion. Prices of many vegetables of daily use have increased by Rs.5-10 per kg, as compared to last week. Traders blame the increasing prices of vegetables on supply shortage, as covered vans and trucks in many districts stayed off the highway over the last week.
“There was no fixed rate for the vegetables in the past one week. The rates are varying every day. We are facing more problems in selling vegetables due to the high prices.” “The changing high prices are reducing our customers and bringing less profit for us. We are expecting the prices of the items to eventually settle and fall,” said one of the vendors at Janbazar.
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Onions were being sold between Rs. 60 and Rs. 70 per kg a week before heavy rains hit the onion producing states. The current wholesale price of onion per kg in Kolkata is Rs. 100. Retail prices range between Rs. 100 and Rs. 120, breaking all the previous records. New increases in vegetable prices are noticed for cauliflowers and cabbages, which were selling at Rs.40-50 apiece.
Radish, beans, and spinach are selling at Rs.50, Rs.60-80, and Rs.80-100 per kg, respectively. Cucumber, tomato, green chili, ladies finger, and carrot were selling at Rs.50, Rs.40, Rs.80, Rs.60 and Rs.80 per kg, respectively. Potato produced in the current season are sold at Rs. 30 per kg. The prices of garlic ~ Rs. 250 a kilo ~ and ginger ~ Rs. 100 per kg ~ increased over the last week.
The prices of broiler eggs remain unchanged at Rs.72 a dozen in the city markets over the last week. The prices of fish and chicken remain unchanged as well. Fish varieties such as Ruhi, Katla along with chicken, were selling at Rs.140 to Rs. 200 per kg, depending on their size and quality.
