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Fuel price hike makes vegetables dearer in Chandigarh
After apni mandis reopened in the city on February 1, the price of some vegetables has increased by ₹5 to ₹10, which the farmers attribute to the rising costs of fuel
After apni mandis reopened in the city on February 1, the price of some vegetables has increased by ₹5 to ₹10, which the farmers attribute to the rising costs of fuel. The mandi, meanwhile, has started seeing a larger footfall as residents have started pouring in.
Green chillies that used to cost ₹30 per kg now cost ₹40 per kg. The price of tomatoes has also increased by ₹5 per kg. Speaking about this, officials of the Punjab Mandi Board said, “While there is no shortage of supply, farmers are blaming the recent hike in petrol and diesel prices. The price of locally-grown vegetables is consistent.”
Since January, the price of diesel in the city has gone up from ₹73.58 to ₹78.09 as of February 12. Secretary of the Chandigarh Transport Association BL Sharma said, “Even a small hike leads to an extra cost of thousands of rupees for transporters so vegetables brought to the city from other states will continue to see a hike in prices.”
With the new season of crops likely to start soon, the price of some vegetables like cauliflower, which has remained unchanged, can also increase in the coming days.
The price of onions has also gone up from ₹40 to ₹45 per kg. As per the vendors here, this was because of a shortage of supply coming in the city from Nashik. “Only a few wholesalers in Sector 26 get onions and we have to purchase it from them, which is why prices continue to stay high,” a vendor said, not wishing to be named.
Meanwhile, the footfall at the mandis has also improved. Officials said that in the beginning they were only getting about 20% of the footfall they used to get earlier, but now the figure has gone up to 50%. All vendors didn’t show up which is why many stalls remained empty on the first day, but now about 80% of them were back, the officials added.
