Skyrocketing prices of vegetable at Kolkata retail markets before festive season

Kolkata, Oct 16 (IANS) Ahead of the Durga Puja festivities which will begin later this week, prices of vegetables, especially capsicum, beans, ginger, chilli and garlic, have skyrocketed at the retail markets of Kolkata.

While ginger is priced between Rs 280 and Rs 300 a kg, the rate of garlic is between Rs 180 and 200.

Capsicum is being sold between Rs 200 and Rs 230 a kg, while beans are priced from Rs 130 to Rs 150 a kg.

Meanwhile, fresh chillies are priced between Rs 150 and Rs 200 a kg.

Among the regular vegetables, potato prices were also slightly higher ranging Rs 20 and Rs 35 a kg depending on varieties.

meanwhile, ladies finger and pointed gourd ranged between Rs 50 and Rs 60.

Members of the state government task force constituted to maintain prices of essential commodities in retail markets, believe that due to the late rain that led to flooding across the state, massive amounts of vegetables were destroyed on the fields.

The task force members feel the prices of vegetables will increase further during the festive season and reach their peak by Laxmi Puja, after which there is a possibility of easing.

However, in the case of ginger, where the price has eased for quite some time, the problem is different.

“West Bengal produces ginger in extremely small quantities and the quality of the produce is not very high. Our state is largely dependent on supply from Manipur, where the situation has continued to remain tense. In such a situation, the possibility of easing the price of ginger at the moment appears bleak,” a task force member said.

He also did not rule out the hands of a section of the hoarders behind the skyrocketing prices of vegetables.