PANJIM: Tomato prices in the open market crossed Rs 100 a kg on Monday. Prices of various other vegetables too rose, with suppliers and retailers blaming the incessant rain for the fall in production and resultant inflation in the prices of essential commodities like vegetables and pulses.
The stress on household budgets was, however, mitigated by Goa State Horticulture Corporation (GSHC) that was selling veggies at nearly 50 percent less than the market price.
GSHC carts were offering tomatoes at almost 50 percent less pricing them at Rs 52.70 per kg and corporation chairman Kiran Kandolkar assured consumers that the price will further reduce.
“The price of tomatoes is Rs 52.70 today (Monday). It has slightly increased from Rs 47 and Rs 46 sold last Friday and Thursday, respectively. Nonetheless, our price is controlled and it will drop in the coming days,” he told Herald.
GSHC sells around 1000 tonnes of tomatoes across its 850 outlets and carts five days a week, Kandolkar added.
Similarly, French beans which cost around Rs 160 per kg in the open market are being sold at Rs 52 per kg by GSHC and green chillies at Rs 42 per kg which otherwise are priced at approximately Rs 120 a kg.
GSCH also ensured that other veggies are sold at an affordable rate with onions sold at Rs 17 a kg, potatoes at Rs 27.80 a kg, cluster beans Rs 30 a kg, carrots Rs 38 a kg and lady fingers at Rs 39 per kg. “Cabbage, cauliflower and several other vegetables are available with us at subsidised rates,” Kandolkar said, urging people to buy veggies from the corporation outlets and carts. Most of the produce is procured from Belgaum, the chairman said.
While consumers got some relief from rising vegetable prices by buying at GSHC outlets, skyrocketing prices of pulses continue to burn a hole in their pockets.
