Ranchi: Ranchi households are feeling the pinch as prices of commonly used vegetables have risen sharply amid increased demand during Shravan and rain-related disruptions to supplies.At major vegetable markets in Morabadi, Dhurwa, Kokar and Harmu, vendors said intermittent rainfall had affected harvesting and transportation, reducing arrivals from neighbouring districts and wholesale markets. Seasonal demand has added to the pressure, pushing up prices of staples such as bottle gourd, beans, green chillies, capsicum, onions, bitter gourd and ginger.“Vegetables are arriving in smaller quantities because rain has disrupted harvesting and transportation. Demand has also increased during Shravan as more families prefer home-cooked meals,” said Manoj Gupta, a vegetable vendor at Kokar.Bottle gourd is selling at Rs 40 per kg, up from Rs 30 a week ago. Beans have become costlier at Rs 100 per kg, compared with Rs 80 earlier, and are being sold for Rs 20 to Rs 25 per 250 grams.Green chillies are retailing at Rs 200 per kg, or Rs 50 per 250 grams, while capsicum has touched Rs 80 per kg, or Rs 20 per 250 grams. Onions are priced at around Rs 50 per kg. Bitter gourd is selling at Rs 60 per kg, or Rs 15 per 250 grams, while ginger has climbed to Rs 160 per kg, or Rs 40 per 250 grams.“Earlier, I bought vegetables for three or four days together. Now I buy only what is needed for a day because the bill has increased noticeably,” said Anjali Sahay, a homemaker shopping at Dhurwa’s Shalimar market.Traders said vegetable prices generally remain stable during Shravan, with bottle gourd, pumpkin and leafy vegetables recording only marginal fluctuations. This year, however, the prolonged wet spell has affected harvesting across vegetable-producing belts.“The issue isn’t just rain. Vegetables spoil faster in transit and godowns due to high moisture. Traders are stocking less to avoid losses,” said Deepak Mahato, a wholesale trader at Pandra.
A vegetable market in Ranchi
