Bangalore, Oct 15 (IANS) Ruma Thakur, a homemaker in Bangalore, is clueless on how to manage the household budget this Diwali as prices of vegetables and fruits soar towards the sky.
“I am finding it hard to buy common vegetables and fruits like tomato, carrot, sapota and banana. The prices of vegetables and fruits have doubled, specially after the floods,” lamented Ruma, while shopping at the bustling H.A.L. fruit and vegetable market.

Bangalore generally depends on Bijapur, Bagalkot, and Belgaum districts of North Karnataka — all ravaged by the Sep 30-Oct 2 rain and flash floods — for grape, pomegranate, sapota, papaya, and lemon.

The rain and flash floods affected 15 of the state’s 29 districts, killing over 220 people, leaving more than a million homeless and damaging crops in around 2.5 million hectares.

“There is large-scale destruction of fruits and vegetables in the areas hit by floods. North Karnataka provides a good amount of fruit and vegetable requirements of Bangalore,” said Keshava Murthy, procurement and marketing manager of Hopcoms (Horticultural Producers Cooperative Marketing and Processing Societies).

“Increase in the prices is due both to shortage of fruits and vegetables and delay in the arrival of new stocks,” he said.

Sapota has seen a rise from Rs.20 to Rs.35 a kg, mosambi from Rs.30 to Rs.45, pomegranates from Rs.80 to Rs.120, orange from Rs.20 to Rs.40, according to fruit stall owners in the city.

The price of potatoes has increased from Rs.18 to Rs.27 per kg while a kg of carrot costs Rs.32 as against Rs.25 a month back.

“Hassan, affected by floods, has been the main source of potatoes for Bangalore. Now, we are depending on places like Agra for potato supply. Till required stock is not filled up, prices of vegetables will remain high for sometime,” said Pashupati Raj, a trader in Krishna Raja Market, Bangalore’s main market for fruits and vegetables.