Vegetable prices stabilise

CHANDIGARH, Aug 15: With the weather clearing up in the past two days, the prices of vegetables which had skyrocketed following heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, have stabilised to some extent.

Due to low supply of greens from the hills following heavy rainfall, vegetable prices in the city had skyrocketed. Vegetable merchants termed the hike in prices as temporary and routine during monsoons but the rates cut a big hole in the common man8217;s pocket. One kg of tomato, which was priced at Rs 5 kg in the Sector 26 market not so very long ago, was available for Rs 18 to Rs 20 per kg in the wholesale market, while the price for the same was not less than Rs 28 in the retail market. Today, however, the prices in the retail market had dropped to Rs 24 per kg and Rs 14 per kg in the Sector 26 market.

Cauliflower is still priced at a high of Rs 40 per kg, while capsicum which was available for a high of Rs 30 per kg was available for Rs 28 per kg. Onions are stable at Rs 7 per kg in Sector 26 market and potatoes pahari are available for Rs 10 per kg.

However, housewives are not very happy with the change in the rate pattern. Sheila Gupta, a housewife, said, quot;Not long ago, Rs 50 was enough to buy a basketful of greens. But the escalating prices remind one of a similar situation last year, when a kg of tomatoes was priced at Rs 50 per kg.quot;

Brinjal and cabbage are priced at Rs 16 per kg in the retail market, while French beans are also priced at Rs 20 per kg. Cucumber, which was earlier priced at Rs 16 per kg, is now available for Rs 14 per kg.