Vegetable prices that soared with the onset of summer have shot through the roof in the last few days in Assam. The reason behind soaring prices in vegetables is said to be continuous rainfall and shortage of production in the state.
The vegetable prices are not less than Rs. 40 per kg which becomesdifficult for the people to buy. "Excessive rain in the last few days and flashfloods are the reason that there are less production of vegetables for whichthe prices have gone up," said one of the traders in Dalgaon in Mangaldoi.
The trader also said that it is expected to rise the price further ifthe weather remains the same.
Other than the weather, another reason of sky-rocketing price in thevegetables is that the traders have to pay a goonda tax to the police whilethey bring the vegetables from other parts of the state to Guwahati.
A trader said that the police and middleman take money from them to passthe vehicles carrying vegetables for sale in the market. "We have to pay hugeamount of money to police and middleman as we don't have any other option left.They forced us to pay the money and if we don't do so then they don't allow thevehicles to pass as a result of which the vegetables gets rotten and we have toincur the loss," the trader said.
Moreover, the vegetables that come from Meghalaya to Guwahati has not been able to come as the vehicles carrying vegetables have been halted as the traders have not paid the Goonda tax.
The vegetables mainly come from Dalgaon, Kharupetia in Mangoldoi and Meghalaya to Guwahati. The vegetables which sold at Rs. 15 at wholesale price are being sold at Rs. 40 at retail price while the vegetables which sold at Rs. 25 in wholesale rate are sold at Rs. 50 at retail price. The vegetables which sold at Rs. 50 at wholesale rate are sold at Rs. 100-120 at retail price.
