After Tomatoes, Green Chilli Prices Soar to Rs. 400 Per KG

Green chilli prices, which had come down to Rs 100 a kg the last two days, again shot up to Rs 200-400 per kg on Wednesday. Prices of other vegetables, however, remained more or less unchanged though the rates differed markedly at different markets.After a week-long run of Rs 300 per kg, prices of chillies had come down to Rs100-120 per kg amid state task force raids at some markets. But it again went northwards on Wednesday, apparently owing to supply drop. Task force president 

Kamal Dey said 120 tonnes of chilli, which had reached Dhulagarh on Tuesday, had not entered the Kolkata wholesale markets. “The small amount that had reached the markets did lead to a substantial drop in the price but chilli being a perishable item, the stock got over on Tuesday itself,” said Dey.Prices of other vegetables, including tomato, pointed gourd, bitter gourd and brinjal, differed heavily from markets in south and those in the north. While beans went for Rs200/kg in Bhowanipore, it was sold for Rs 80/kg in Behala and Maniktala. Similarly, tomato was sold at Rs 150/kg in Tollygunge but at Rs 120/kg in Behala and Maniktala markets. “The difference in prices is mostly due to quality, distance from the wholesale market and the time of sales,” said Kartik Saha, a vendor at Maniktala market. 

Meanwhile, retail tomato prices have surged up to Rs 140 per kg in the Delhi-NCR region due to the supply disruption from the producing centres owing to rains.Wholesale prices of tomato at Azadpur Mandi here, Asia’s largest wholesale fruits and vegetables market, were ruling in the range of Rs 60-120 per kg, depending on the quality on Monday.