Many stock veggies in enough quantities

Visakhapatnam: With the price of vegetables like lady's finger, egg plant, chillies, rig-gourds, tomatoes and lemons already spiralling, many headed to local markets and Rythu Bazaars to stock up enough quantities of vegetables that would last for a week or so. Concerned over the likelihood of crop damage in the wake of Fani cyclone, consumers made a beeline to Rythu Bazaars on Thursday to bring home veggies that have a longer shelf life.

Anticipating hike in vegetable prices in the next few days due to gap in demand and supply, many preferred to buy onions, tomatoes and potatoes along with other veggies in large quantities. "Normally, I get two kilos of onions, tomatoes and potatoes each that would last for a week. However, keeping the cyclonic storm in view and the likelihood of increase in vegetable rates, today I bought double the quantity," says N Jyothi, a homemaker at MVP Colony.

However, officials from horticulture department say that the vegetable crops will not be affected much if the rains continue for only a couple of days. "Vegetables in Visakhapatnam district are grown over 1,308 hectares. As of now, the showers are beneficial to the crops. However, if rain persists, a majority of vegetable crops are likely to get affected due to high moisture content," explains K. Sailaja, Assistant Director of Horticulture Department, Visakhapatnam.

In Srikakulam, horticulture officials say that rains will not impact vegetable crops for the next couple of days. "But we will know the real picture after Saturday or Sunday. As of now, there is no crop damage registered in the district despite the change in the weather," adds P L Prasad, Assistant Director of Horticulture Department, Srikakulam.