Vegetable prices have shot up in the national capital Delhi due to an increase in transportation costs following the hike in fuel prices, media reports said.
Vegetable sellers said their sales have reduced and profits have shrunk due to the increased transportation cost and the ultimate hike in the buying price.
Dharmendra Singh, a vegetable vendor in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar told PTI news agency that prices of tomatoes have climbed Rs 40 per kg, and potatoes are now being sold at Rs 25 per kg. Earlier, it used to be sold for Rs 10 per kg, he said.
The prices of most of the vegetables have gone up. We hardly make any profit. We buy the vegetables paying a fixed price from the market. With the prices going up, people have also reduced the quantity of vegetables they buy,” he said.
Akhilesh, another vendor in Lajpat Nagar, said the prices of fruits have also gone up.
Some vendors said they have stopped giving coriander leaves and green chilies to customers for free.
Lemon prices have also soared in Gujarat, Telangana, and various other parts of the country. A Hyderabad-based vegetable vendor said, “The prices have gone really high. Earlier, we used to purchase a whole lemon sack for Rs 700 which now costs Rs 3,500. We are selling a single lemon for Rs 10 and nobody is ready to buy it”.
Lakshmi, another lady retailer said that she is buying a whole bag of lemons at Rs 3,000 at present.
