Veg prices triple after floods

Taking advantage of the floods and landslides, traders around Gaighat have hiked the prices of vegetables. With roads blocked due to heavy rains and trucks unable to deliver fresh produce, traders have tripled the prices of vegetables compared to normal times.

Locals complain that traders are arbitrarily setting prices, even selling stale vegetables as fresh, despite regulatory agencies’ monitoring. Srijana Tamang, a resident of Gaighat, expressed frustration over the price inconsistencies, saying, “Vegetables are not cheap, and the price of the same vegetable varies from store to store.”

Consumers are further upset that despite the rising prices, authorities have shown little interest in controlling them. They also complain that traders are selling vegetables that have been in stock for several days due to the road damage caused by the floods and landslides.

Tomatoes, once sold at Rs 60 per kg, now cost Rs 200 per kg. Radishes have jumped from Rs 25 per kg to Rs 100 per kg, and mustard greens have reached Rs 160 per kg. Similarly, cauliflower now costs Rs 200 per kg, and cabbage Rs 150, according to vegetable vendor Kusheshwar Chaudhary.

The price of onions has surged from Rs 50 per kg on Sept 26 to Rs 140 per kg. Potatoes are now Rs 90 per kg, yardlong beans Rs 130 per kg, mushrooms Rs 280 per kg, pumpkins Rs 100 per kg, bitter gourds Rs 120 per kg, cucumbers Rs 150 per kg, brinjals Rs 70 per kg, and chayote Rs 40 per kg, all prices have tripled since Sept 28.

Lemons, which were previously Rs 20 for five pieces, are now Rs 15 per piece. “We don’t have any stock at home, and due to damaged roads, we’re forced to buy produce at higher prices, so we can’t sell it cheaply,” Chaudhary explained.

Another vendor, Tej Narayan Sah, echoed these concerns, stating that the higher purchase prices have inevitably led to increased selling prices. He mentioned that due to the rains, fewer vegetables are being supplied from outside districts, making it difficult to meet demand. Gaighat typically receives up to 200 tons of vegetables daily, but this has now dropped to only 50 tons.

Locals claim that although the local government, administration, and industry and commerce associations have set official vegetable prices, implementation has been ineffective, and traders’ monopolistic practices have increased.