Indians Reel Under High Prices Of Vegetables At The Onset Of Winter

Noida, India (AHN) - Vegetables form a very important part of the Indian diet. Every household cooks at least two different kinds of vegetables in a day. However, recently the high prices of vegetables have forced people to buy less.

Monica Singh, a resident of Noida said, "The market is like on fire - we cannot touch any vegetables. We are buying in smaller quantities."

Increasing vegetable prices have hit India hard for the past few months and with the onset of winter the prices are set to go up higher. While the common man is reeling under the price rise, vegetable sellers and marketers feel that the price rise is nothing out of the ordinary.

Kailash Singh, a farmer in a village called Barola in Uttar Pradesh says, "We are still selling our produce for the same price. It is the sellers who are increasing the price. Of course because of the drought produce has been much less this year."

Naushad, a vegetable seller in Noida, says, "The number of trucks that used to come from the farmers have lessened in number. We are paying double the amount for lesser amount of vegetables. We have no other way but to sell at a higher price. We have to survive too."

The Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) members also corroborates the statement saying that after the drought, heavy rain also affected the produce.

Anil Tyagi, member of the APMC says, "The prices of vegetables are fine as of now. If the winter is not too severe then the produce will not be affected and the prices will not rise. However, if there is thick fog and the produce is affected then obviously there will be a price rise. In any case the prices of everything has gone up- so, high prices of vegetables shouldn't really come as a surprise."