Buying vegetables is a luxury

BHUBANESWAR: Mercury is soaring, so is the price of vegetables. Prices of almost all the vegetables have shot up again. From Rs 8 a kg, prices of potato and onions are hovering between Rs 10 and Rs 14. Likewise, a kg of tomato is now priced at Rs 20. It sold at Rs 15 a kg till a week ago. Most of the green vegetables, including Lady’s Finger, are now in the price bracket of Rs 20 to Rs 25. The Unit I market Rajdhani Dainika Hata Bebasaya Sangha general secretary Gayadhar Swain explains, “We are not able to produce the required amount of vegetables in the State due to the dry spell. To meet the requirement, the vegetables are sourced from neighbouring States like West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, hence, the hike in the price.” Although he isn’t sure when the prices would come down, Swain said this is a recurring phenomenon. “Water scarcity for irrigation purposes is the prime reason behind less production of vegetables in rural pockets of the State,” he added. For the anguished locals, vegetables have of late become a luxury. “I will be only buying vegetables that I can afford. The more expensive ones will be treated as a luxury, once in a while,” said Paramita Swain, a housewife.

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