Hyderabad: This summer, vegetable prices in the city refuse to rise like they did in the previous summer.Good crops and consequently, heavy arrivals of vegetables in the city markets, the price of most vegetables is low and affortable.
If tomato comes to 9 rupees a kg in the vegetable market of the city, then potatoes can be taken up to 20 rupees per kg.
Such low pricing during the season, traders say,is unusual for one of them, with vegetable prices increasing significantly over the summer.
“It is not normal for most vegetables to have such an affordable price in the month of April,” says one of the traders.
During summer, vegetable prices skyrocket due to lack of arrivals from neighboring districts. Usually, the price adjustments happen in April and May as the summer and resultant water scarcity end up impacting vegetable cultivation and its produce.
In the Rythu markets, a kilo of tomatoes was sold for 9 rupees on Sunday and sellers were prepared to reduce the price further if purchased in large quantities.
If one kilogram of brinjal was available for Rs 11, then the lady’s fingers cost Rs 18 per kg, and one kilogram of carrots cost Rs.16. Apart from these, onions were being sold at prices ranging from Rs 15 to Rs 20 per kg.
Vegetable production was also higher in Rangareddy, Medak, Mahbubnagar, Vikarabad and other parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Subsequently, supplies to Hyderabad are high and the quantity of vegetables entering the markets of Bowenpally, LB Nagar, Mehdipatnam, Kukatpally and Erragadda has improved considerably.
By evening time, most sellers in Rythu Bazaar and other vegetable market got to dispose of the stock for whatever price they could get.
“There is no point in returning home with stock, so we sell at whatever price we can get,” said J. Shekhar, a seller at erragadda Rythu Bazaar.
However, farmers in rythu bazaars said that prices could rise in the month of May as summer peaks, due to a drop in production. However, compared to last summer, this time vegetable prices may not be very high.
