Prices of rice, vegetables and greens go up, thanks to scanty rainfall and dry spell

Mysore: Think twice before you plan a grand meal of vegetable biriyani or vegetable pulav or vegetable rice bath as the prices of rice and vegetables have headed north burning a hole in your pocket. And blame deficit rainfall for sky-rocketing prices.

Due to a delayed monsoon, the price of rice has gone up sharply by Rs. 4 to Rs. 13 a kg for different varieties. The much preferred rice for an aromatic biriyani in Mysuru and Bengaluru regions are Sona Masoori and Kollam rice. Prices of raw Sona Masoori has gone up from Rs. 44 to Rs. 57 and Kollam rice has gone up from Rs. 64 to Rs. 72. Superior variety of Sona Masoori is being sold for Rs. 74 per kilo.

The price rise is attributed to the alarming slump in the production in the Upper Krishna Project and Tungabhadra command areas — the rice bowl areas of Karnataka which produce 60 percent of Karnataka’s rice. This is where the brand Siruguppa rice comes from. Karnataka which produces about 4 million tonnes of rice each season has produced just 3 to 3.5 million tonnes this season.

Scientists and agriculture experts said that the trend of poor cultivation due to lack of rains began three years ago and it has peaked this year. There is a severe shortage of water in Tungabhadra region and there is a lack of moisture across Upper Krishna Project. Adding to the production slump is rising heat.

Even rice production in Tamil Nadu has been low this year due to deficient rainfall. So bad is the crisis in Tamil Nadu that the TN Government that has been exporting rice till last year has started importing rice, say traders at Shivarampet. Most of the rice that is gown in Siruguppa region is being sent to Tamil Nadu to meet the demand.

According to Vishnu of Old Santhepet Shivanna Rice Bhandar, the rice prices have been on the rise since 25 days. Even Sona Masoori steam rice costs Rs. 38 from the earlier prices of Rs. 34. Nellore Steam Rice that was sold at Rs. 3,300 per quintal now costs Rs. 3,600, Cauvery Steam from Rs. 3,400 to Rs. 3,900, Sona Masoori Raw from Rs. 4,400 to 5,700, Kollam rice is being sold from Rs. 6,400 to Rs. 7,200 per quintal. The cost of other varieties like Kollam Bullet rice, Basmati, Rajamudi, Red rice and Boiled rice too are rising, according to wholesale rice traders.

Vegetable prices too rise

Along with rising rice prices, rates of vegetables and greens have also increased. The Devaraja Market in city that is a hub of vegetable business has witnessed steep price rice since the last couple of days. Moreover, vendors and people have complained that even if they pay high prices, they are not getting good stuff.

Greens are the worst hit with the quantity and quality coming down. A bunch of coriander leaves that was sold for Rs. 15 and Rs. 20 is now costing Rs. 40 per bundle. But the leaf bundles have shrunk in size despite high prices, say buyers.

The prices of vegetables are high owing to marriage season and due to deficit in rainfall. Normally during the end of May and till the end of July and August, vegetable prices are low as it would rain as per season and fresh vegetables come to the market. This year due to shortage of rain and due to dry spell, there is a slump in production.

A bunch of methi leaves that was sold for Rs. 5 last week is being sold for Rs. 10, Pudina bunch that was being sold for Rs. 10 is now being sold for Rs. 20. A kilogram of beans costs Rs. 120 to Rs. 140 from the earlier Rs. 80. Brinjal from Rs. 20 has gone up to Rs. 35, Knol Khol from Rs. 40 has gone up to Rs. 60, Radish from Rs. 20 to Rs. 30, Tomato costs between Rs. 45 and Rs. 50, Onion costs Rs. 31 and Rs. 34, Carrot costs Rs. 51 and Rs. 56, Beetroot costs Rs. 24 and Rs. 27.

Mysuru receives vegetables from Hunsur, Bilikere, Varuna, K.R. Nagar and surrounding areas. Earlier, truckloads of vegetables used to come from outer areas of Mysuru. Now all those areas have been converted into residential layouts.

Kumar of Devaraja Market predicts that the prices will continue to rise in the coming days and they might come down only after rain starts. “This is for the first time, Mysuru is seeing a jump in vegetable prices during June. And this is due to lack of rainfall and continuous dry spell,” he added.