12 November,2009 09:37 AM IST | | Alifiya Khan
While vegetable prices soar by nearly 60 per cent, and keeps steadily rising, eggs are making their presence felt on the city's plate
The unseasonal bout of showers in the city has claimed an unusual victim the vegetarian Puneite. The disrupted of supply in the last fortnight has already made prices of vegetable jump, and with the rains playing havoc, vegetable vendors are worried that prices will increase further.
"Prices of vegetables were already at an all time high. They had risen by 40 per cent in the past 10 days, now they have gone up by a further 20 per cent in the last two days owing to the rains. The supply is less, and the existing stock has rot in the rains," said Rahul Kondhre, a wholesale vegetable trader and member of Gultekdi Market Yard Association.
Vendors are apprehensive that customers may begin buying eggs instead of vegetables.
Figures available with the Agro Produce Marketing Committee corroborate the fact that while vegetable prices have gone up by 20 per cent in past 48 hours, there is a loss of business turnover by about Rs 50 lakh per day.
"Average daily turnover for vegetable business is Rs 2 crore in the city, but for the past few days it has been Rs 1.5 crore. This loss is due to the increased prices of vegetables. Besides, competition from non-vegetarian products like eggs is high," said N L Kumbhar, in-charge of vegetable and fruits section at APMC, Pune.
For example, onions that cost around Rs 12-13 per kg two days ago, now cost Rs 15-16 per kilo.
According to egg suppliers, the demand has far outstripped supply in the past few days. As compared to a daily demand of 18 lakh eggs, the city receives a supply of only 15 lakh.
Cashing in
"As winter approaches, the demand for eggs usually goes up. But this year we have received a further boost as prices of vegetables have shot up. To cash in, even our suppliers have hiked prices, but its miniscule compared to vegetable prices," said Saheer Momin, owner of Poona Egg Sales, a wholesale trading company.
He added that an egg that cost Rs 3 until a month ago, now sold at Rs 4.
The price rise is expected to continue for another week. "As rains continue to lash the city, the prices of vegetables will only go up. Even the process of reducing rates will take a lot of time," said Subodh Zende, owner of Shree Gurudev Datta Agency.
"Some commodities like coriander whose average price was Rs 12-15 per bunch have jumped to Rs 25 per bunch. It will take a long time for items like these to normalise," added Kondhre.
