Team Herald
Vasco: Goans are likely to feel the pinch as vegetable prices are likely to skyrocket further in the next two days.
Horticulture Corporation officials confirmed that the prices are likely to shoot up two-fold from the existing rates due to short supply from neighbouring states, after the major supply routes from Chorla Ghat, Anmod Ghat, Kholhapur routes were blocked due to landslides and flooding caused by heavy rains.
Sandeep Faldessai, Managing Director of Goa State Corporation Limited went on to state that vegetables may cost double in the coming two days.
The major cause for the shortage was because main routes at Anmod ghat and Chorla Ghat which are the main roadways to get the supply to Goa are blocked. Another reason is the route via Kolhapur are also blocked due to floods and landslides in that region.
“We have tried every possible way to bring commodities via Karwar but this option also failed due to flooding and bad weather conditions on the Dandeli route, revealed Faldessai.
When asked whether Goa has enough stock, he replied in the negative and added that due to heavy rains, moisture etc the vegetables get spoiled within a few days.
When asked why the State faced such a huge shortage this time, Faldessai said, “as per my information this year the heavy rainfall and bad weather condition in Belgavi area caused water stagnation. The Belgavi market also did not have sufficient vegetables and this resulted in low supply to Goan markets”.
When asked whether local grown vegetables were available Faldessai said, “local vegetables have not reached Goan markets as they need atleast 3 months to get matured and ready for consumption”.
“The existing stock of vegetables exhausted within two days. Due to the shortage of vegetables in the market prices doubled. We are expecting supplies by Saturday and then we will get the new hiked prices of the vegetables,” he said.
Abdul, a Vegetable vendor in the Panjim market said the rates of vegetables as compared to last week has gone up drastically for instance cabbage which was quoting at Rs 21 last week is today Rs 80, similar is the case with other vegetables.
A flower vendor disclosed that there is also a shortage of flowers for the past three days. The prices of flowers have doubled. “Before flowers were sold at Rs 60 per kg and now it is 120 kg” he added. He further said, “flowers are a perishable commodity therefore they cannot stock them for long. Roses which was costing Rs 250 per kg are now costing Rs 350 per kg” he said.
Some locals who had come to buy vegetables in the market said the rates have just sky high and out of reach of the common man.
A lady, Nisha said, “tomatoes which were costing around Rs 35 to Rs 36 have now gone up to Rs 100 per kg, there are no ‘acche din’ for the common man”.
Ashwin Kumar Akela said, “the rates of almost all vegetables have gone up and we are getting a feeling as if we are buying gold. Government should look into the matter and should bring down the rates of the necessary commodities,” he added.
