Though normally every year, vegetables and fruits costs go high and even the most regularly available vegetables during the peak season are purchased with much of a pocket pinch. This year too, vegetables, fruits prices are sky-rocketing due to the grand festival rush.
Also, the city residents may not find further relief in the days to come over the increasing costs as heavy rainfall in off season is another prime factor in raising the cost of vegetables. Considering the auspicious occasion of Chhath puja people are reluctant to buy the vegetables, fruits at the high rate.
From onions that are being sold at the rate of Rs 40 per kg to tomatoes that once barely cost Rs 20 or even less are being sold out at Rs 60 per kg. Other green veggies are also pinching the pockets of the customers.
Capsicum, potato, lady finger, cauliflowers are even though being purchased like hot cakes but the rate of different vegetables that normally ranges between Rs 10 to Rs 50 per kg are now being sold out at the lowest average rate of Rs 50 or above.
Besides the increasing prices of the vegetables including some dominant fruits that are essentially utilised in Chhath puja like bananas, apples, castor apples, pomegranate, carrots etc are also being sold out in the range of Rs 100 or above.
However, fruits and vegetable vendors are of the opinion that the price rise is generally witnessed in the month of October due to several reasons like insufficient rainfall, excess rain, drought etc. Also, few sellers cited that due to unavailability of most of types of fruits and vegetables in Ranchi market, the price of various vegetables, fruits go high that are brought either from adjoining States or from distant places.
“This year may be due to heavy rainfall, the cost might have increased but normally every year the scenario remains the same. I remember that bottle gourds, pumpkins are always sold out at Rs 80 or above annually. Similarly, in the case of fruits, since different varieties of fruits are required during the Chhath puja ever since the commencement of this grand fest, normally all fruits starts from Rs 40-50 per kg,” said, Meenakshi Kothari, a local resident.