Rourkela: Vegetable prices have skyrocketed all over the state as well as the country. The increase in prices has been the highest in recent years. People of Sundargarh district are also feeling the pinch of the rising vegetable prices. However, the reason for the high prices of vegetables is not man-made. In fact, most people, both buyers, and sellers, attribute it to nature. Septuagenarian Sardara Singh visits the Traffic Gate market area in this city on a regular basis. “Every day, I buy fresh vegetables, but for the last couple of days I have hardly noticed any seller or customer,” Singh pointed out.
In fact, a visit to many of the markets around this town and other adjoining localities pointed to the disappearance of all varieties of vegetables. The daily market here and the weekly ‘haats’ at Jhirpani, Chhend, Kalinga Bihar and Panposh, all wore a deserted look due to the absence of vegetable sellers. Similar scenes were also reported from Sundargarh, Bonai, Rajgangpur, Biramitrapur and far-off places like Gurundia and Talsara. The areas mentioned above, particularly Rajgangpur, Biramitrapur, Gurundia, Bonai and other adjoining areas, are known as the vegetable basket of this region. In fact, they cater to the coastal places every season.
However, the flow of vegetables from the farmers to the market has completely stopped. “Prices of vegetables have gone up because of lack of production. There are nothing in the fields,” said Samir Sahu of Nuagaon, an affluent tribal farmer. “If you look around, you will find most of the fields barren. We have nothing to sell,” he added. Samir and others of his clan have the same story to offer. They informed that the harsh summer preceding the monsoon has affected the growth of vegetables. “Until it rains again properly, we will have nothing to offer,” said Surama Ekka, who was trying to sell bitter and long gourds at Jhirpani. Another farmer said that the lack of water has led to poor vegetable production. “Most of the rivers have dried up. We suffered due to the lack of water,” he said. The vegetable market at Traffic Gate is usually a hustling and bustling place filled with cacophony of noises.
However, Tuesday only a few vegetable sellers were present at the market and the lack of customers was evident. “Most of the farmers have gone to their native places as they have nothing to sell,” said Simachala Pradhan, a vendor, who was present at the market. “Tribal farmers come here every day, but now they are conspicuous by their absence. The harsh summer is responsible for such a scenario. We could not grow anything this summer, ” Simachala added.