Uploaded on Jul 17, 2010

Prices of vegetables in India have soared this season. It comes after heavy rains damaged crops, and fuel prices have been hiked.

People across the northern part of India are feeling the effects of incessant rains and floods.

The heavy rains have damaged crops, resulting in high prices for vegetables. The gasoline price hike has also added to the increase in prices.

Transporters bringing in vegetables from other states have increased their fares, in turn affecting the cost of the vegetables.

[Gangaram, Vegetable Seller]:
“It depends on the rain. If there is too much rain, the vegetables will rot. Therefore the supply is low, and so the prices shoot up. If the supply increases, the price will go down.”

Many consumers are just choosing to buy fewer vegetables.

[Rajinder Prasad Gupta, Customer]:
“Our budget is out of balance. We have to compromise on so many things. We have to reduce the amount of vegetables we eat and the varieties we would normally buy.”

On the other hand, farmers in the state of Himachal Pradesh are earning good profits from their off-season harvest.

[Rai Singh, Farmer]:
“Due to heavy rains in Punjab and Haryana, the crop there were damaged. Here, we get a harvest even off season. We are getting good prices for our crops.”

Consumers are urging the federal government to sort out the issue at the earliest.

The government is pinning its hopes on the progress of the summer monsoons, which irrigate the bulk of India's farms.