As Bengaluru is seeing a rise in temperature each day, the heat is affecting the business of people as well. The Vegetable wholesalers say that the business has gone down by around 30 percent than previous year. However, the wholesalers are selling the vegetables on the same prices as earlier.
Srinivas, a Vegetable Wholesaler says that “The sale has gone down by 30-40 per cent. The Vendors, who used to buy in a bulk, now do not buy in bulk because sometimes they fail to sell the vegetables. I used to buy around 300 kg vegetables from the farmers but now I buy around 250 kg because vegetable vendors buy less during summer.
Vegetables like beans, Ladies finger and bitter gourd dry very soon due to heat. Vendors are increasing the cost of vegetables to recover the losses they incur. Prices have gone up by 15-20 percent.
Krishnappa, a Vegetable retailer says that “All the vegetables cost has gone up. From wholesale, we will buy from Rs. 50 to 60. People here ask the same vegetables for Rs. 50-60. Even if you keep the vegetables for one day then they will go dry because of that we are facing losses. Every day I face around Rs. 800-1000 loss. If I buy vegetables in bulk for Rs. 10000 then sometimes I face losses around Rs. 4000. So I do not buy in bulk now.”
The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre says that temperature will keep on rising and will reach to 40 degree Celsius. Customers only buy the required amount of quantity rather buying in large quantity.
Chandrakala, A customer from Kumbalgodu says “I will take how much is necessary. Earlier I used to buy 1-2 kg, but now I only buy half kg because the cost of the vegetables has gone up, and also it’s hot so even if I keep it in the fridge, the taste won’t last.”
Expert say initiatives should be implemented in a way where it benefits the sellers
A.N. Yellappa Reddy, an environmentalist says “The government and research institutes should take initiative to help these sellers as the cold storage cost is high so institutes like Indian Institute of Sciences should invent something similar in lesser rates so that small scale sellers and wholesalers could also store more vegetables.”
