In the absence of proper supervision of prices in the city markets, the rates of vegetables are now shooting up again as wayward traders and vendors keep burning the hole in people’s pocket taking advantage of the lockdown while there is no shortfall of veggies in the wholesale markets especially at Gudimalkapur where the green commodity is making regular arrivals despite restrictions.
While a meager difference of Rs.2-7 on every vegetable was witnessed during the last 24 hours in Gudimalkapur Vegetable Market Market, the retail markets in the city in general and the small vendors in colonies in particular are selling the veggies especially the beans on exorbitant rate largely taking advantage of the lockdown.
The only impactful difference was noted when it comes to purchasing green beans with a price variation between Rs.10-30 recorded during the last 24 hours.
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While 14 quintals of beans arrived into Gudimalkapur Market on 23rd May with Minimum Rate of Rs.40 and Maximum rate of Rs.80 per kilogram, the following day the market witnessed only four quintals of beans arrived with Minimum Rate of Rs.70 and Maximum rate of Rs.90 per kilogram. This has left an arguable impact over the price of beans that communicate a difference between Rs.10 to Rs.30 during the last 24 hours.
Ironically, the price of beans in the retail markets have gone upto Rs.130 to Rs.150 with traders simply griping that the green commodity is least available in the wholesale markets and they have to toil hard to get it from far flung areas.
However, beans are not the only vegetable variety burning the hole in customers’ pocket. The retail traders especially those mobile auto trolleys selling veggies by roaming into the colonies are arguably charging extra prices of all other green varieties and milking profit by taking advantage of the covid-19 infested restrictions in the city and suburbs.
Tomatoes are being sold to Rs.15-20 per kilo by the traders in the market and auto trolley vendors in the colonies while in the wholesale market the red veggie is available at a rate of Rs.4-6 per kilo. While 1476 quintals of tomatoes reached Gudimalkapur market on 24th May with a Minimum rate of Rs.4 and Maximum rate of Rs.6 per kilo, the market recorded 1376 quintals of arrival a day earlier with a minimum price of Rs.2 and a Maximum price of Rs.6 making a difference of only Rs. During the last 24 hours.
“We are as usual receiving the veggies into the market that have slightest variation in the prices owing to the availability of the commodity. The market is performing regularly with the arrival of loads of veggies thereby feeding the retail markets in the city as usual. We received 1476 quintals of Tomatoes on 24th May as against the load of 1376 quintals on 23rd May. Similarly, 410 quintals of Potatoes arrived on 24th May while the load of 842 quintals was recorded on 23rd May. Generally there would be fluctuation in vegetable arrivals every day but largely the veggies are marking into the market regularly without any significant drop in the arrival,” informed Aparna, Secretary Gudimalkapur Market Yard.
However, complaints are pouring in that green veggies of almost all varieties are being sold with exorbitant rates by the traders in different retail markets taking advantage of the ongoing lockdown.
“We noticed that veggies are being sold at high prices today at the market. Only beans are being sold at a price of Rs.150 which is very much costly to buy. No proper supervision of the prices being charged at the retail market and by the mobile vendors led to this situation where the traders maintain an upper hand over the situation that puts the common man to suffer hard. Food inspectors, drug inspectors and officials of weights and measures department all have sweeps under the carpet these days leaving the common people on the tender mercies of unscrupulous traders in the markets,” bemoaned Syed Shoukat Ali, a city based community activist.