The soaring mercury levels have made vegetables dearer.
Most housewives across the city, who are braving the summer heat in their kitchens, have been forced to contend with the rising price of vegetables. The price of beans has almost doubled in the last one month, while tomatoes, green chilli, capsicum, cabbage, and coriander leaves too have become expensive, according to sources in HOPCOMS (Horticultural Producer’s Co-operative Marketing and Processing Society) in Mysuru.
Worse, housewives find the shelf life of vegetables annoyingly short. Many vegetables become dry and tasteless within 24 hours, particularly if they are not refrigerated.
Mysuru HOPCOMS president Bore Gowda told The Hindu that the increase in prices and shorter shelf life were a summer phenomenon. Poor rainfall leads to a slump in production.
President of the Devaraja Market Vegetable Vendors’ Association, Dinesh, said there had been a dip in the volume of vegetables arriving in the market, while demand has increased. Most people, including non-vegetarians, preferred vegetarian dishes during summer, he said.
Mr. Gowda, however, hoped the prices would come down after the rains.
