CHANDIGARH, Aug 9: Housewives are weeping again.and again the tear jerker is onion - with it's soaring prices. The vegetable prices, especially that of `essentials' are burning holes in the common man's pockets while fruits too continue to be out of reach.Once again the family vegetable basket has become light following hike in rates of most of the vegetables, particularly onions and potatoes. With the monsoon setting in, the customers have been complaining of high rates and low quality of onions.In the wholesale market, onions are available for Rs 15 per kg. However, the price difference in Sector 26 market itself is considerable with `quality' onions being available for Rs 18 on the phari. Even the `not-so-good' onions are priced at anything between Rs 15 and Rs 17.Said Mange Lal, an onion vendor:``The onion produce available in the market is local. Since the crop was spoilt this season, majority of vendors are selling `wet' onions at lower prices.'' Reacting to the high price demanded by a vendor for onions, a housewife of Sector 18 Nain Verma complained: "With the high prices, what we used to spend earlier, now fetches only half the quantity. Consequently, people are not buying too much of these items and are cutting down on the daily consumption of these items.''As for potatoes, while in the wholesale market only the pahadi aalu is available for Rs 9 per kg, the retail price is Rs 14. However, the `normal' potato is priced at Rs 6 in the wholesale market and Rs 10 per kg on the phari. The price of lemons which had fallen to Rs 20 per kg earlier, is now perched at Rs 40 per kg in the wholesale market.Among unseasonal vegetables, cauliflower tops the price chart at Rs 30 per kg in the retail market and Rs 20 per kg in the wholesale market.Shimla mirch (capsicum) is the highest priced summer vegetable at Rs 18 in the retail market and Rs 13 in the wholesale market. Tomatoes are at low of Rs 10 on the phari while French beans too are available for the same price.Fruits too have become more of a dream for the common man. Although a variety of apples are available in the market but the price tag has made these more of an item of desire for the common man. Royal apple is available for anything between Rs 30 to Rs 40 per kg in the retail market. Shimla apple too is priced at Rs 30 per kg.While the prices of mangoes vary from variety to variety the range is between Rs 20 to Rs 40. Bananas too are priced at a high of Rs 15 per dozen in Sector 26 market.
