Vegetable and fruit prices in Delhi have gone through the roof due to short supply and beginning of "sawan" month when majority of people prefer not to eat non-vegetarian food.
Except onion, potato and tomato, prices of all vegetables have touched Rs 70-80 per kg. Similarly, most fruits are being sold between Rs 80 and Rs 150 per kg. The rates of fruits and vegetables are much higher in posh colonies.
The surge in prices is giving vegetable vendors and common man a hard time to make ends meet. This inflation in prices is going to continue till next two to three months until the new crops arrive. Tomato, potato and onion are available at Rs 20 to Rs 25 per kg in most retail markets. The price of bottle gourd has touched Rs 80 per kg as compared to Rs 30-40 in June. Capsicum prices have also reached Rs 80 per kg as compared to Rs 40 last month. Lady finger and brinjal are being sold at Rs 70 per kg.
Price of cabbage is Rs 100 per kg while drumstick price has crossed Rs 120 per kg. The price of lemon in the wholesale market is Rs. 60 per kg while they are being sold at Rs. 70 - 76 per kg in the retail.
Similarly, mango is available at Rs 100-120 per kg andbanana is being sold at Rs 80 a dozen. Price of apple in the market is Rs 80 per kg and papaya is available at Rs 60 per kg. Pear price has also touched Rs 70-80 per kg. Vendors said that the prices of fruits and vegetables are always high due to short supply during monsoon. Besides, most people prefer vegetarian food during monsoon especially in the month of "Sawan", that is considered auspicious for Hindu.
"The prices of vegetables like coriander, capsicum and beans have increased as they are being brought from Bengaluru due to lack of local supply from the neighboring states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan," said Naveen, a vegetable vendor in Okhla Mandi.
A fruit seller, Sanjay echoed similar concerns of high transportation costs many fruits come from Himachal Pradesh and adjoining states. He added that as more people are consuming fruits due to fasting in monsoon, the prices are increasing. Adding to the woes there has been a steady rise in prices of diesel, petrol and CNG which in turn is resulting in higher transportation costs of fruits and vegetables and increasing their prices in the market.
"Purchase of daily staples in our kitchen budget has declined because of soaring prices. The prices of lemons and chilies have skyrocketed, so we have limited our consumption," said Ritu Sharma, a housekeeper from SaritaVihar, Delhi.
"The previous month we had similarly reduced our budget, when the prices of tomatoes increased. I tend to use pulses and other alternatives when there is sudden increase in prices," she added. The unfavourable weather conditions, high humidity and erratic rainfall is damaging the crop harvest, making vegetables and fruits costlier. Soaring demands and high prices of fuel and fertilizersis also affecting the availability and prices of vegetables and fruits.