Vegetable prices went spiraling across markets on Wednesday when Kolkata celebrated Lakshmi Puja. Many buyers struggled purchasing items, including veggies, meant for the puja.
Brinjal sold at Rs 100 a kg, compared with Rs 70 a few days back. Green chilies sold at Rs 130 a kg and capsicum and beans at Rs 200 a kg. The price of onion was Rs 60 a kg and tomato Rs 80 a kg.
Wholesellers blamed the price surge on flooding following the recent heavy rain in some districts of Bengal that are the principal suppliers of vegetables to Kolkata and Howrah.
The rise in fuel prices and the spike in demand on the occasion of Lakshmi Puja are the other factors.
“Large swathes of vegetable-producing tracts in North and South 24-Parganas, and Purba Medinipur continue to remain inundated,” said Kamal Dey, president of the West Bengal Vendors Association.
“Several acres of land with vegetable-bearing plants are waterlogged. As a result, the supply of vegetables to the wholesale markets has been hit severely,” he said.
Brinjal and pointed gourd are mostly sourced from Joynagar, Gochoron and Mathurapur in South 24-Parganas and Bongaon and Basirhat in North 24-Parganas. In both these districts, waters are yet to recede from large tracts of farmlands.
Wholesale traders said the rise in diesel price had hit the transportation of these vegetables from other states. Diesel sold at Rs 97.68 a litre in Kolkata on Wednesday, up from Rs 92.67 in September.
“We are spending close to Rs 1.6 lakh per truck to carry vegetables from Bangalore to Kolkata, compared with Rs 1.2 lakh before,” said a wholesale vendor.