Over 70 per cent households in the country are paying more than Rs 50 per kilogram for tomato, Rs 40 per kg for potato and Rs 50 per kg for onion for the past two months, a survey conducted by LocalCircles said here on Monday.
The survey was conducted to understand how much extra people are spending to purchase per kilogram of onions, potatoes and tomatoes as consumers show discernment over the rising price of these vegetables.
The survey stated that the prices of these vegetables have been affected by heavy rain and flash floods in the producing regions, and has added to the hit hard earnings of many households across the country due to the pandemic.
It also tried to understand an average amount a household paid this year for buying these vegetables as compared to 2019.
In response to a query, 70 per cent households said, "They paid 25-100 per cent higher prices this year for buying per kilogram of tomato, potato and onion. Whereas, only 5 per cent citizens said they paid the same as last year."
In response to another question, "What best describes the per kilogram price that your household paid for buying onion, potato and tomato in the latest purchase?", the majority of the respondents said they are paying "more than Rs 50 per kg for tomato, Rs 40 per kg for potato, and Rs 50 per kg for onion."
In comparison to the finding of an earlier survey conducted by LocalCircles published on September 11, "61 per cent households had said they were paying more than Rs 60 per kg for tomato, Rs 30 per kg for potato, and Rs 25 per kg for onion," meng that while average retail price paid by the majority of households paid for potatoes rose by 30 per cent, that of onions rose by a massive 100 per cent, while those for tomatoes fell by 15 per cent in one month.
The survey received more than 16,000 responses from citizens across 242 districts of India. Of which, 58 per cent were from tier 1, 23 per cent from tier 2, and 17 per cent respondents were from tier 3, 4 and rural districts.
Despite the central government's assurance of increasing the import of onion and potato, the surged prices of these vegetables on the ground have remained almost the same. Onions especially had been selling for as high as Rs 100-120 per kg in various parts of the country last month, while that of potatoes had also peaked to about Rs 50-60 per kg.
( With inputs from ANI )
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