Mysore/Mysuru: Household budgets are taking a severe beating as skyrocketing vegetable prices show no sign of dropping. The rates have shot up due to heavy rainfall and resultant crop damage in Karnataka and neighbouring States.

Prices of most of the commonly used vegetables including tomato, beans, brinjal, carrots, and chillies are up, and traders say the situation is likely to persist for some weeks.

Wholesale traders attributed the sharp spike in the prices of key kitchen staples, like tomatoes, to unseasonal downpour in major producing areas besides recent rain in the South. With scanty supply and an increase in demand these days, prices have gone through the roof.

The price of tomato, which hitherto used to be around Rs. 20 to 30 a kg, has now soared to Rs. 80 a kg while ladies finger, chillies and brinjal each cost Rs. 60 a kg, carrot Rs. 70 a kg, capsicum Rs. 80 a kg, cabbage Rs. 40 a kg, ivy gourd (thonde kayi) Rs. 80 a kg, Beans at Rs. 60 to Rs. 80 a kg and drum stick (nuggekai) Rs. 80 a bundle.

The prices of greens too have witnessed a steep rise, with a small bundle of coriander leaves costing Rs.10 and that of fenugreek leaves (menthya) costs anywhere between Rs.20 and 30.

The price of onions and potatoes has shot up by a whopping 60 to 80 percent as rains continue to lash onion growing areas in North Karnataka and neighbouring Maharashtra. In Mysuru, onions are selling at Rs. 50 to Rs. 60 a kg and potatoes at Rs. 40 to Rs. 50 a kg. Earlier, the onion price ranged from Rs. 25 to Rs. 30 and Rs. 20 in case of potato.

Vegetable traders and vendors attribute the sudden and steep hike in prices due to poor arrivals arising out of crop loss. Pointing out that the incessant showers that has been lashing Mysuru and surrounding districts for the past several days, has flooded almost all agricultural fields, causing crop loss, they said that this has severely hit the arrival of vegetables from growing areas.

The prices of vegetables may continue to be high at least till the end of the year as it takes some time for the arrival of fresh stocks, they added. Majority of crops have been damaged. “We heavily depend on local produce from various parts of the State now since a very few truckloads arrive from Bengaluru and parts of Andhra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The price will further go up until the fresh crops hit the market,” a trader said.

However, there is some respite for the common man as the prices of fruits have remained almost stable, with only some variety of fruits seeing a marginal rise in prices, according to market sources.