Supply from HP hit, veggie prices soar

Chandigarh : Widespread rain in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh has hit the supply of fresh vegetables to Punjab, leading to a sharp rise in the prices of peas, tomatoes, beans and cauliflower. The retail price of tomatoes in Jalandhar has shot up from Rs 20-25 per kg to Rs 80-90. Peas cost Rs 110-120 per kg, up from Rs 70-80, according to traders in the vegetable mandis of Bathinda, Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Chandigarh. Vishal Gulati, president, Old Sabzi Mandi Retailer Welfare Association, Jalandhar, said, “The prices will remain high during the next month too. In the rainy season, there is usually a fluctuation in prices, but this time it’s on the higher side.” Banwari Lal, a commission agent in the Sector 26 fruit and vegetable market, Chandigarh, said the supply of tomatoes had reduced drastically from states such as Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana due to the rains. “The government should provide cold storage facilities so that the prices don’t increase substantially in case of crop losses,” he said.