Vegetable prices register sharp increase across Punjab, Haryana

Prices of several commonly consumed vegetables have registered a sharp increase over the past fortnight across Punjab and Haryana with traders claiming that short supplies were leading to rise in prices. In case of vegetables like bottle gourd, okra or lady finger, peas, spinach, cauliflower, bitter gourd, brinjals, retail prices per kg have almost doubled, traders said today. Tomato, green beans, apple gourd, cucumber, ridge gourd prices as well have risen during the past fortnight.

"There are various factors for the price rise including the weather factor, which has been erratic during past fortnight. While it has been rainy in some parts, in other parts the monsoon has played truant," a trader said here today. He said that bottle gourd, which was selling at Rs 30 is now available at Rs 60-80 per kg, okra prices have jumped from Rs 30 to Rs 60 per kg, one bunch of spinach weighing 300 gram is selling at Rs 20-30 as against Rs 15 earlier, apple gourd prices have jumped from Rs 40-50 to Rs 70-80 per kg, green beans from Rs 40 to Rs 80 per kg, brinjals from Rs 30 to Rs 50 per kg, tomato from Rs 20-25 to Rs 40 and peas from Rs 80 to Rs 120 per kg.

While cauliflower prices have witnessed a jump of nearly Rs 20-30 from earlier Rs 50 per kg earlier, bitter gourd was selling in the range of Rs 50-60 per kg. However, prices of onion and potato maintained a steady position with onions selling in the range of Rs 25 per kg and pahari variety of potato in the range of Rs 25 for same weight.

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The prices of lemon, too, have remained largely unchanged, traders said. Last month, prices of vegetables had soared in the wake of dwindling supplies of farm produce due to farmers' agitation.