Gone are the days when one of the most versatile food in a poor man’s kitchen used to be potatoes and onions.
The average Delhi woman is having a tough time managing her house-hold budget as the prices of vegetables are always in a flux. Vegetables that add the much needed zing to Indian food such as ginger and garlic are being sold at Rs 200 and Rs 100 per kg respectively.
They are now among the priciest in South Delhi.
Anita Singh, a resident of Vasant Kunj said the prices of onion, tomato and potato have gone up and every time she visits the market, the prices are higher than before.
Renu Rani, who resides in North West Delhi, and is a teacher, said: “Potato and tomato are staple tropical foods in Delhi. If the prices keep increasing at this pace, what would a common man do? These are not luxury goods but are basic necessities.”
Pradeep Mishra, Deputy Secretary of Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC), Azadpur, explained the phenomenon saying “the price of onion has gone up in recent past as earlier the crop was coming from Rajasthan and had a low shelf life. However, now the onions are being brought from Nasik and are of very good quality.”
He also said the prices of other vegetables have also gone up because of the quality of produce that is now coming into the market is superior.
Rajendra Sharma, former president of the Committee, said all the local vegetables which are coming in from nearby areas are not expensive and still come within Rs 4 to Rs 10 per kg.
He also said that the prices of onions are being shown to be high whereas the fact is that the onions are of different varieties and hence the prices vary according to the grading.
“The onions which are too small are cheaper. If you see their rate, it would be less. If you would go by the rate of the large onions which are generally purchased by hotels etc, they are expensive. Also, the onions which are clean and glossy are sold at a higher rate. So there are many other things that determine the price variation,” he said.
Mr Sharma also said that “if the government is saying that prices are high due to hoarding, then did they find any illegal practice going on during the raid? The marketing committees are responsible for keeping a check on all this.”