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Pricey staples put kitchen budgets on fire in Lucknow
Experts attribute the inflation to a crippling combination of extreme heatwaves and a simultaneous spike in fuel prices triggered by geopolitical tensions in West Asia
LUCKNOW The common man’s monthly kitchen budget has been dealt a severe blow this month, with the prices of daily vegetables and fruits skyrocketing across the city. Market experts attribute the severe inflation to a crippling combination of extreme heatwaves and a simultaneous spike in fuel prices triggered by geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
Data collected from Naveen Galla Mandi on Sitapur Road and various local vendors between May 1 and May 20 paints a grim picture for household finances. The primary drivers of this surge are high temperatures, localised transport bottlenecks and an increasing reliance on inter-state imports to meet the demand for daily staples.
Market authorities and local vendors report that a sharp hike in fuel prices has directly inflated vehicle freight charges. Green chillies and tomatoes recorded maximum price changes. The former surged by an average of 460% from ₹10-15 to ₹60-80 a kg, and the latter skyrocketed by an average of 250%, climbing from ₹10 to ₹30-40.
According to data, imported fruits are also becoming dearer: pomegranates rose by an average of 39.6% from ₹130-135 to ₹180-190/kg and apples climbed by a mean of 34.5% from ₹140-150 to ₹180-190 due to long-distance transport logistics. Summer staples like muskmelon also jumped by an average of 61.5% due to heatwave-induced demand. Daily staples like potatoes and onions registered a steady 20% to 22.5% increase.
On the contrary, seasonal local crops offered minor relief: Pumpkin dropped by about 25%, and ridge gourd fell by about 23.5%. Similarly, pointed gourd (parwal), cucumber and ladyfinger also recorded a dip.
Satya Prakash Tripathi, senior agricultural marketing inspector, said the local agricultural belt is failing to meet the current demand for core items. “We are calling for essentials like tomatoes, onions, coriander and green chilies from distant states, which makes them hypersensitive to fuel price adjustments. This is why when diesel prices go up, the cost in Lucknow immediately spikes,” he said.
He also said that the structural shift from local sourcing to multi-state imports and low yields of seasonal vegetables like ‘tinda’ and beans has made Lucknow’s vegetable market sensitive to national fuel economics.
Neelesh Sonkar, a fruit vendor in Naveen Galla Mandi, said the prices of vegetables and fruits have increased due to substantial increase in prices of transportation. “We are facing a crisis of supply as farmers are not able to afford transportation. Even if some are trying to provide the required prices for transportation, the ones operating vehicles are not able to meet their cost of transportation,” he said.
Isar, a vegetable seller in Narhi. said while transportation is a major cause of the problem, heatwaves have added to the despair.
Vegetable & fruit prices in last 20 days
Vegetables/Fruits--------------------- Rate on May 20----------- on May 1 (per kg)
Tomato----------------------------------- ₹30-40-------------------- ₹10
Onion------------------------------------- ₹24-25 ------------------- ₹20
Green chillies--------------------------- ₹60-80-------------------- ₹10-15
Bottle Gourd---------------------------- ₹30------------------------- ₹20
Pumpkin--------------------------------- ₹20-25 ------------------- ₹30
Apple--------------------------------------Rs190 -200----------------- ₹140-150
Pomegranate---------------------------- ₹180-190----------------- ₹130-135
Papaya------------------------------------ ₹70-80-------------------- ₹50-60
SOURCE: Vendors (*prices of vegetables and fruits may increase or decrease in different markets of the city)
