Thiruvananthapuram: Even buying coriander leaves to your favourite sambar could burn a hole in your pocket. Its price has touched Rs 155 per kilogram in Kerala in line with other vegetables prices that have been showing an upward trend in the last three weeks.
Vegetable prices have been soaring after heavy rain in the neighbouring states led to a fall in supply, according to the traders.
The prices of veggies at the Chala market in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday are: brinjal (naadan) - Rs 86, bitter gourd - Rs 78, long beans - Rs 88, green chilli - Rs 94, beans - Rs 102, and valiya chembu (taro root) - Rs 130. The price of brinjal was Rs 50 a week ago.
Meanwhile, tomato is selling for Rs 120.
A few exceptions
The price of curry leaves that hit the century-mark has dropped to Rs 55 per kilo. The price of lemon has also dropped to Rs 160 from Rs 200.
Even with the soaring market prices, there are allegations that the government is not making effective interventions.
The Horticorp is selling vegetables at lower prices than the market. But there are complaints that not all vegetables are always available at the Horticorp outlets.
At the Horticorp outlets, the tomato was priced at Rs 95 per kg on Monday. The price of carrot (Ooty) was Rs 53, while carrot (Munnar) was sold at Rs 55 per kg.
Several vegetable sellers have not been supplying veggies to the Horticorp as it has not cleared their dues.
(Horticorp is the Kerala State Horticultural Products Development Corporation.)
