Rain effect: Vegetable prices soar in city

Mysuru: Heavy rains that lashed the State recently have pushed up the prices of vegetables. The residents of city, just coming out of the scare of inundation from recent rains, now have to bear the brunt of costly vegetables. Almost all vegetables have seen a steep rise in prices. Tomato has shot up to Rs.50 per Kg. (Rs. 20 earlier), Onion to Rs. 40 (Rs. 25 earlier), Beans to Rs.120 (Rs. 60 earlier), Brinjal to Rs.60 (earlier Rs.40), Cabbage to Rs. 60 (earlier Rs. 20), Carrot to Rs. 80 (earlier Rs. 40) and so on. The rates are about Rs.5 less per Kg at HOPCOMS outlets as per yesterday’s figures and may go up now. HOPCOMS District Supervisor Srinivas Datta attributes the price rise to rain and damage of crops in neighbouring villages. Push cart vendors too are facing the problem as consumers tend to bargain on price and sale had come down owing to price rise. Consumers with no way to go have begun to reduce consumption of  vegetables to beat the price rise and include cheaper alternatives in recipes. However a few sources said that vegetables were being sent to Kerala resulting in short fall of stock, thus pushing up prices. The situation may not ease for the next two or three weeks unless vegetables arrive from other states.