High vegetable prices hits the common man's kitchen budget

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 Rs 50 per kg while tomato is touching the Rs 60-80 per kg level. Garlic prices are Rs 250-300 per kg, while those of green vegetables are also getting costly. Amid this, the staple potato is also started increasing in price.

"I am paying more than Rs 1,000 these days for a quantity of vegetables that I was getting in Rs 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 Rs 52 per kg on Friday, while on September 18, it was at Rs 52 per kg. However, during this month, the prices of onion jumped up to Rs 60 per kg, the data showed.

As per this price list, tomato retail price on Friday was Rs 56 per kg while on September 18, it was Rs 36 per kg. Hence, the tomato is still Rs 20 costly as compared to last month while in the last few days, it jumped up to Rs 60 per kg.

In a statement, the Ministry on Friday said that the Mother Dairy has assured not to sell tomato at more than Rs 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 on Friday was Rs 17.50-35 per kg while the supply was 703.5 tonnes. Also, the wholesale price of tomato was Rs 12-40 per kg and supply was 349.7 tonnes.

Potato's wholesale price in Azadpur market was Rs 6-24 per kg while its supply was 1,478.1 tonnes.

"In the main supplier states of onion and tomato, water level has come down in the field, hence, an increase in the supply is expected," said an officials 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 while the inflation rate of food goods increased 5.11 per cent.

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