Thiruvananthapuram: The spiralling prices of vegetables have upset the food budget of ordinary Keralites. The prices of some vegetables have increased six-fold during the last six months.
In May, a kilogram of tomato cost Rs 15-20. Now it is a whopping Rs 100-130 per kg.
The destruction of agricultural crops and vegetables due to heavy rains in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka has resulted in declining production which in turn has caused the price surge.
The vegetable prices are also on the extremely higher side in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
In Bengaluru 1 kg tomato is selling at Rs 103/110. In Chennai there has been an increase of Rs 41-45 in tomato pries. In Chennai, the price of 1 kg tomato is a whopping Rs 160.
The prices of vegetables in Nagarcoil, Coimbatore and Mangaluru are almost the same as that of Kerala. In Kerala there is a price difference ranging from Rs 4 to Rs 40 in some items being sold at different markets.
Ironically, the price of tomato was just Rs 2 per kg last April in a few parts of Tamil Nadu bordering Kerala. This was reported by Manorama on April 19. On that day the price of tomato in Marayoor in Kerala was Rs 10 per kg. In the same Marayoor the price of tomato on Thursday was a whopping Rs 160 kg!