Guwahati, July 10, 2023: Residents of Guwahati are grappling with the escalating prices of essential vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots, lemons, cabbages, and green chillies.
The Kamrup Metro District Administration released the wholesale price list for fruits and vegetables at the Pamohi Wholesale Market on July 9, revealing the prices in various local markets including Fancy Bazar, Beltola, Ganeshguri, and Brahmaputra Market.
The heavy rainfall and floods in Assam have had a detrimental impact on the local vegetable produce in Guwahati. To address the shortage, vegetables are being sourced from other states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Karnataka, and Maharashtra to meet the demand in Guwahati.
Carrots, squash, cabbage, tomatoes, peas, and beetroot are being imported from these states to supplement the vegetable supply in Guwahati.
An official from the Kamrup Metropolitan District Administration previously stated that the Pamohi Wholesale Market is the only authorized market of the Assam State Agriculture and Marketing Board (ASAMB). Other markets in the city are required to follow the rates set by the Pamohi market.
In recent weeks, the prices of tomatoes have surged from ₹15 per kilogram (before June 15) to ₹70 per kilogram (after June 15). They have now reached a staggering ₹80-90 per kilogram.
Similarly, the wholesale rates of carrots have risen from ₹40-50 per kilogram to ₹80-120 per kilogram. Lemons have experienced a significant price increase from ₹100-150 for 500 pieces to ₹100-200 for just 80 pieces.
Cabbages have seen a hike in wholesale prices from ₹20-30 per kilogram to ₹28-50 per kilogram, while green chillies have surged from ₹60 per kilogram to ₹160-250 per kilogram.
The skyrocketing prices of tomatoes have drawn particular attention, with retail prices soaring even higher from ₹120 per kilogram to an alarming ₹130-150 per kilogram. Local produce from areas like Kharupetia, Barpeta, Morigaon, Nagaon, and Boko has not been sufficient to meet consumer demand, leading to the price surge.
The vegetable industry operates in the unorganized sector, making it challenging to control prices.
The Kamrup Metro District Administration shared the wholesale price list on Twitter, informing citizens and stakeholders about the prevailing rates at the Pamohi Wholesale Market as of July 9, 2023.
