Bhubaneswar: Onion and potato prices have increased the woes of the consumers in this city amid the COVID-19 pandemic. One can safely say the spiraling costs of onions and potato are bringing tears to the eyes of the people. Both are now being sold above Rs 40 per kilogram.
The Odisha government has said that prices of these two commodities have sky-rocketed across India. However, consumers here have complained that it is making a huge dent in their pockets.
However, it not just that the prices of onions and potatoes have increased. Prices of other vegetables have also shot up due to the recent floods which destroyed large amounts of vegetable crops in different parts of Odisha. Retail traders said that they have no option but to increase rates as they have to shell out extra cash to procure vegetables from farmers and middlemen.
Odisha’s famous wholesale market Chatra Bazar is situated in Cuttack. Onions and potatoes are being sold at Rs 100/3kg there. In other markets of the silver city potatoes are being sold at Rs 40 per kg while for onions the price is varying between Rs 36 to Rs 40 per kilogram.
Similarly, in markets here and those in Balasore, the prices of both potatoes and onions are hovering around the Rs 40-mark for one kilogram.
Traders in Angul district have started hoarding the stuff as shortage will enable them to increase the prices of both potatoes and onions. Consumers alleged that in some places the prices of onions and potatoes have gone over Rs 40 per kg.
Shopkeepers however, said they have no option but to increase the prices. They said they are being forced to shell out large amounts to get the vegetables from middlemen.
“We have already reduced the consumption of potatoes as the price is very high. In the last month we have buying potatoes at around Rs 35 per kilogram and Rs 37 for each kilogram of onion. So it is indeed a difficult time for us amid the COVID-19 pandemic said Jayanti Panda, a homemaker staying in UNIT-IX of this city.
Officials of Consumer Welfare and Civil Supplies Department said blamed the floods for such a situation. They assured that the ‘government is keeping a close watch on the situation’ to see that prices do not escalate anymore.
“Decrease in production due to the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the prices of onions and potatoes. The situation is likely to continue for some more days,” the officials said.
It should be stated here that the Centre has banned the export of onions a couple of days back with immediate effect. People are hoping that this will bring down the prices of the staple consumer product within a short time.
PNN