Vegetable prices cross century mark in Bengal; Govt task force may raid markets soon

Consumers are paying Rs 32 per kg for potatoes, while the price of tomatoes ranges between Rs 100 and Rs 120. The prices of ridge gourd and brinjal have doubled, reaching Rs 80 and Rs 70, respectively. Bitter gourd and ladies finger have witnessed even steeper climbs, with prices surging by 128 per cent and 140 per cent to Rs 80 and Rs 60. Onion has not escaped the trend either, with an 80 per cent increase pushing its price to Rs 45.

“We are observing the situation and will soon go for a market raid and we hope that with the coming monsoon most of this issue will be solved,” said Rabindranath Koley, a member of the task force constituted by the state government to monitor the prices of essential commodities.

He added, “The Sufal Bangla stall is also selling vegetables but ironically the prices are high. Nevertheless, we will take required steps to ensure that this scenario does not last for too long.”

Sufal Bangla is a government scheme to provide vegetables at affordable prices through fair-price stalls and counters. The project was initiated in 2014—with 14 mobile shops to directly procure fruits and vegetables from farmers and sell them.

The scorching heat in West Bengal has created a double burden. While people are battling high temperatures, the lack of rainfall in South Bengal has crippled agricultural production. This has led to a significant rise in vegetable prices, making them costiler and even scarce in some stores.

Susanta Roy, a vegetable wholesaler from Barjora in Bankura district, said there was a 40-50 per cent reduction in the production. Kartik Singh, a farmer, blamed the prolonged heatwave and lack of rain, which have affected delicate vegetables like creepers and smaller plants in particular.

Some vegetable that have seen steep price rises

• Tomato: Rs 120
• Brinjal: Rs 150
• Ginger: Rs 250
• Garlic: Rs 300