Hyderabad: Vege'trouble' prices hit the roof

Gudimalkapur: Though there is no dearth of vegetables reaching wholesale markets in city, despite the lockdown, their retail prices have spiked manifold, burning a hole in pockets of customers, of all classes.

While meager price difference of Rs2-7 in every vegetable was witnessed during the last 24 hours in the Gudimalkapur vegetable market, retail traders in City and small vendors in colonies are selling veggies, especially beans, at exorbitant rate, largely taking advantage of the shutdown.

The only impactful difference was noted when it comes to purchasing beans with a price variation between Rs.10-30 recorded during the last 24 hours. While 14 quintals of beans arrived in Gudimalkapur Market on May 23, with the minimum rate of Rs.40 and the maximum rate of Rs 80 a kg, the following day the market received only four quintals, with price of Rs.70 (mimimum) and Rs 90 (maximum).

Ironically, its retail price has gone up to Rs 130-Rs 150, with traders simply griping that the commodity is least available in the wholesale markets and that they had to toil hard to get it from far flung areas.

Beans is not the only vegetable costing high. The retail traders, specially, those selling veggies in colonies are arguably charging extra on all other varieties and milking profit by taking advantage of Covid restrictions in City and suburbs.

Tomato is being sold at Rs15-20 a kg by traders in the market and trolley vendors in colonies, while in the wholesale market it is available at Rs 4-6 a kg. While 1,476 quintals of tomato reached the Gudimalkapur market on May 24 with a minimum rate of Rs 4 and maximum rate of Rs 6 a kg, 1,376 quintals was received a day earlier. The rates were Rs 2(mimimum) and Rs 6 (maximum).

Aparna, Secretary Gudimalkapur Market Yard said, "We are, as usual, receiving veggies in the market with slightest variation in prices owing to availability of commodities. The market is receiving regular loads of veggies, feeding the City's retail markets, as usual."

"We received 1,476 quintals of tomato on May 24, as against the load of 1,376 quintals the previous day. Similarly, 410 quintals of potato reached on May 24, while the load of 842 quintals was recorded on Sunday. Generally there would be a fluctuation in vegetable arrivals every day, but largely veggies are reaching the market regularly without any significant drop in arrivals," she informed.

However, complaints are pouring in that veggies of almost all varieties are being sold at exorbitant rates by retail traders taking advantage of the lockdown.

Syed Shoukat Ali, a city-based community activist bemoaned, "We noticed that veggies are being sold at high prices. Beans is being sold at Rs150, which is very costly. No proper supervision of the retail prices and by mobile vendors led to this situation, where traders maintain an upper hand, causing the common man to suffer. Food/drug inspectors and officials of the Weights and Measures department have swept public complaints under carpet, leaving people at the mercy of unscrupulous traders."