Veggie prices up, residents irked

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 16

The local vegetable vendors have increased the prices of vegetables within a day.

Vegetables like tomatoes, onions, potatoes were being sold at Rs 20-25 per kg on Sunday. It was observed on Monday that the vendors were selling the same vegetables at Rs 40 per kg.

One of the vendors said because of rain since morning, they increased the prices of the vegetables.

Gurpinder Singh Dicky, a vegetable vendor at Jawahar Nagar camp, said ladyfinger, bitter-gourd etc, were the seasonal vegetables sold at reasonable rates in the market. The prices of both the vegetables were not more than Rs 20 per kg. Besides, vegetables like potato, onion and tomatoes were for Rs 10-12, Rs 15-20 and Rs 20-25 per kg, respectively.

“I got vegetables at reasonable prices on Sunday, but today, carrots were being sold for Rs 60 per kg, lemon Rs 60 per kg, tomatoes Rs 40 a kg and onions Rs 30 per kg. How can the prices be increased in a day? I asked another vendor at Dandi Swami, he was selling vegetables at reasonable prices. Within a radius of 2 km, vendors are fleecing consumers and there is no check on it,” said Manju, a homemaker.

Meanwhile, a vegetable vendor on Rani Jhansi Road said he had increased the prices as he sold “fresh” vegetables and were better than those being sold by other vendors.

“People come to me because the prices suit them and I sell clean and fresh vegetables,” he claimed.