Vegetable prices have sky rocketed during the monsoon season as prices of tomatoes increased by 84 percent in July compared to June according to a report released on Monday.
Heavy rainfall and flood in various parts of the country are said to be the factors behind low tomato yield leading to its import and thus a higher price according to Free and Fair Election (FAFEN).
FAFEN governance monitors visited 188 retail outlets in 105 districts and reported increase in the prices of other vegetables as well. Potato prices have increased by 21 per cent and onion price by 10 per cent. A high increase was also registered in the price of fruits; dark red apples 38 per cent, golden apples 35 per cent and bananas 12 per cent.
Prices of condiments went up as well as ginger by 12 per cent, garlic 8 per cent and turmeric 4 per cent. Poultry products also witnessed a 7 per cent increase including eggs and broiler chicken by 1 per cent. The average price of broiler chicken meat however remained unchanged. Other meat items including beef and mutton also registered an increase of 3 per cent and 2 per cent.
Similarly, prices of sweeteners including jaggery (gur) and brown sugar (desi shakkar) increased by 3 per cent and sugar 1 per cent. Dairy products prices such as fresh milk and yoghurt went up by 1 per cent and wheat flour 3 per cent and grain registered a 1per cent rise in price. An increase was also observed in the price of kitchen fuels; Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) 3 per cent, firewood 2 per cent and kerosene oil 1 per cent.
A mixed trend was observed in pulses as prices of some increased while others decreased.
Price increase was seen for washed moong pulse 5 per cent, white beans 4 per cent, washed masoor pulse 3 per cent and red beans 2 per cent, while prices of chickpeas went down by 5 per cent, gram pulse 4 per cent, washed mash pulse and black gram 1 per cent each.
Rice price also decreased as irri-6 went down by 2 per cent and basmati broken 1 per cent. The average price of basmati-386 remained unchanged.
Moreover, prices of mustard oil, branded cooking oil and branded vegetable ghee dropped 2 per cent each. Except for the price of a plate of cooked beef, which went down 1 per cent all other cooked items experienced price hike. A cup of hot tea 4 per cent, a plate of pulses and a plate of vegetables increased by 1 per cent each.
A meaty rise in vegetable prices
