By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Prices of vegetables in the city’s markets have gone through the roof. But onions top the list. This vegetable which is indispensable to Indian cooking is selling at Rs 70-75 a kg. While vegetables have anyway gone beyond the reach of the aam aadmi and there appears to be no mechanism to check their meteoric rise, the price of onion seems to be anationwide phenomena.
Though Iewduh, the biggest traditional market in the city continues to give some respite to the consumers, the situation in other markets is beyond control.
As usual, consumer frequenting the Laitumkhrah Municipal Market (LMM) bear the worst brunt. Polo market follows right behind.
A survey conducted by this daily in three major markets in the city, found Iewduh attracting maximum customers even from far flung areas as prices of vegetables are much lesser here in comparison to other markets.
Onions are selling at Rs70-75 a kg in LMM and Polo whereas one can get two varieties of onions in Iewduh – white ones selling at Rs50/kg and the red ones at Rs 60/kg.
A consumer who was buying onions in large quantities said it is expected that prices of onions will increase more in the near future. “I don’t know how and why the onion prices have escalated when only a fortnight ago he purchased it at Rs20/kg.
From the chart it is obvious that Laitumkhrah is the biggest offender against consumers.
Chilli is selling at a whopping Rs160/kg when you can get four kilograms for the same amount at Iewduh. In Polo it is a shade lesser than Laitumkhrah. A Laitumkhrah resident who was marketing in Iewduh said, “This is ridiculous as within the same city prices of vegetables varies over Rs100 between two markets.”
The survey clearly reveals that all items in Iewduh are 50% to 60% lesser than the other two markets whereas in case of certain items it is strangely over 100% making a mockery of the District Level Price Monitoring Committee.
To a query a consumer who was shopping in Laitumkhrah said, “It is high time that such committees are dissolved and its member are shown the door,” adding that the least priced vegetables in Laitumkhrah are squash and cabbage at Rs20/kg.
East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Sanjay Goyal said the price of onion has suddenly risen due to the failure of the crop in the Nasik region of Maharashtra. “I have been following the price trend of onions. They are selling at Rs 80/kg in Delhi and at a slightly lesser price in Guwahati.
The Central Government is also closely monitoring this and has banned export of onion. It is expected that the prices would be rationalised within the next few days,” Goyal said adding that he is keeping a tab so that there is no over-pricing of onion.
