Skyrocketing vegetable prices in Odisha continue to hit consumers hard 

The prices of almost all green vegetables and tomatoes are going through the roof across the state, leaving consumers in utter dismay. Consumers are totally at a loss not being able to decide what to buy and what to skip. 

Go to any vegetable market, and you will find vegetables literally on fire. All the vegetables be it lady’s finger, pointed gourd, spine gourd, bitter gourd, ridge gourd or brinjal, are selling above Rs 80 a kilogram. And, it is not onion but tomato which is currently bringing tears to the consumers’ eyes as it is selling at Rs 120 per kg. 

“The prices of all the vegetables have skyrocketed. Tomato is selling at Rs 100. To adjust the budget, we are buying 250 grams in place of 1 kilogram,” said Pankaj Kumar Panda, a customer in Bhadrak. 

Echoing the same, a Bhubaneswar resident rued, “Whatever vegetable you pick, it is selling at Rs 100 a kilogram. Common people are the worst affected.”

When asked, the vegetable sellers have one answer-they are forced to sell at a higher price as they are paying more to get them in the first place. 

“We are not in a position to sell vegetables. Hearing the prices of the vegetables, customers are giving us an earful. What should we do? As we are buying the vegetables at exorbitant prices, we are forced to sell them at higher prices,” said Shatrughna Samal, a vegetable seller. 

On the other hand, farmers alleged that the traders are procuring vegetables from them at a cheaper price and selling them at a higher price in markets.  

“Farmers are not to be blamed for this. It is the traders who are selling the vegetables at higher prices,” said a farmer in Banki. 

As per the traders' association, the present situation will continue, at least for some more days. 

“We have never ever heard of vegetables selling at such a high price. We think the present situation will continue for 15 more days. Thereafter, the prices would start coming down after the arrival of locally grown vegetables in the market," said association sources. 

Meanwhile, in some parts, the Monsoon rain has played havoc with the standing crops, leaving the farmers a worried lot.  

“I had grown brinjal, pointed gourd, lady’s finger, bitter gourd, and green chilly on three acres. The monsoon rain has left us nowhere. The inundation has destroyed the crops,” rued Harekrushna Roul, a farmer.