Veggie prices shoot up again

Bangaloreans were smiling all these days after vegetable prices returned to earth at the beginning of the New Year. Well, that smile has slipped a bit as prices have shot up again, climbing as high as 50 per cent.

Worse is to come as industry experts forecast further increase in prices because of two reasons. The first being the start of the marriage season and other auspicious occasions, and the second — and more serious — depleting arrivals because of destruction/ poor yield due to the cold spell during the last two months.

While the prices of carrot and beans were already high, it is okra that tops the list with Hopcoms selling it at Rs. 49 a kg. Even its wholesale price on Tuesday was Rs. 30.

G.M. Venkatesh, a senior executive with a vegetable retail chain, blamed the severe winter affecting the vegetable's harvest. He said even beans and cucumber also have taken a beating thanks to the weather.

Sandeep, who looks after Green Fresh at Kenchanahalli Cross on Doddabasti Main Road, predicted that with summer round the corner, prices will only increase.

It has been bad for consumers this past week with prices zooming up. They were moderate at the beginning of the month, said Ranganathan, a vegetable vendor in Sampangiramanagar, who said that such inflation would eat into his profits as he has to spend a good to procure the vegetables from Krishna Rajendra Market. His customers also have cut down on buying, he said.

Homemaker Uma Hande, who lives in K.R. Puram, confirmed this. “I'm in the middle of creating a terrace garden to beat the price rise. Vegetables like tomato and leafy vegetables could easily be grown in pots.”

But she said fruits were a problem, sighing over their exceptionally high prices, especially pomegranate and apple, which are being sold not less than Rs. 180 and Rs. 130 a kg in neighbourhood shops. The only solace is by papaya (Rs. 15 to Rs. 20), yelakki banana (Rs. 30-35) and to some extent sapota (Rs. 30-35), she said.

On Day 2 of UP yatra, Rahul Gandhi targets Mayawati again, says Centre's funds not reaching poor

  On Day 2 of his Uttar Pradesh yatra, Rahul Gandhi once again took on Chief Minister Mayawati. Addressing a rally in Bahraich district, he alleged that the Centre's funds were being siphoned-off in the state. "Centre's funds meant for the poor in the state are not reaching them," he said. He then added that Mayawati "does not bother about" what was happening in her state.

Targeting the UP Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi also said that they have "forgotten about the people after becoming big leaders and they don't feel for them".

"They (Mayawati and Mulayam) have become big leaders. They can travel in helicopters. But they do not feel angry now when they see sufferings. They do not feel anything when farmers' land is taken away. I have learnt many things from Mulayamji. But he does not come to you. His anger (against injustice) is over," he added.

The Congress General Secretary started his Jan Sampark Yatra from Barabanki yesterday, where he explained his controversial remark on Uttar Pradesh migrants "begging for work in other states."

At a rally in Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh a week ago, Mr Gandhi had told the thousands that had gathered that their state was regressing under the leadership of "the mafia" who runs the state. "How long will you beg in Maharashtra (for work)? How long will you work as a labourer in Punjab? It will take only five years and the change will come," he said, asking the crowd to give the Congress "a chance for five years."

The statement drew flak from almost all political quarters including Congress's ally NCP. Explaining his remarks, Mr Gandhi said yesterday, "People sat in studios and criticised me, but I will ask them to speak to the children on the traffic signals. They will tell you that they are from UP."

Emphasising that his party wanted to change Uttar Pradesh for the better, Mr Gandhi said he was angry that the state was lagging behind when other parts of the country were moving ahead at brisk pace.

"People from UP are going to Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi. You drive a taxi in Maharashtra, you build roads and metro in Delhi...our state is now lagging behind. We have to bring it back on track," he said.

Mr Gandhi is on a five-day yatra in UP. He will next visit Shravasti, Siddharth Nagar and Kushinagar and meet party workers. (With PTI inputs)