Vegetable prices soar again in Gangtok

Gangtok,Nov19: The prices of vegetables have skyrocketed in the last couple of days, upsetting many modest household budgets in and around Gangtok.
Though the prices had begun fluctuating after Mumbai typhoon news— both in the Gangtok and elsewhere in the State — have pushed the prices up.The recent rain around Maharashtra has hit standing crops of onion also as per reports. Sources at Lal Bazar attributed the high onion prices to shortage stemming from crop destruction following the deluge in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. “Potato too is scarce,” he added. Both have crossed the Rs. 30-35 mark.Tomato has crosses Rs.50/-.Tashi,the vendor, agreed. “These prices are driving my regular customers away,” she lamented.
Tomato, the common man’s vegetable, is being sold at prices ranging from Rs. 45 to Rs. 55 a kg, depending on the locality. Beans, another favourite, goes for anything from Rs.35 to Rs. 40 a kg while carrot has touched Rs. 40 a kg in neighbourhood vegetable shops.Moong Dal has hit high of Rs.95/- already crushing the budgets of lower salaried people in Gangtok.

High Vegetable prices hurting Gangtokians

Gangtok,October10: Prices of vegetables have gone up these days as seen here in local market and in weekly haat. Rates have gone high in all the local items as those from Siliguri. The present rates (per kilogram) are: onion Rs.30/- which was rupees Rs.20 per kg last week, tomato Rs. 25 which was Rs.20 before, local Potato Rs.30 which was Rs.25 and potato brought from Siliguri Rs.22 which was Rs.15 to 18, beans Rs.20 which was Rs.10, brinjal Rs.20 which was Rs.10, radish rupees Rs.20 which was 10 per kg, cabbage Rs.20 , karela Rs.32 which was Rs.10 to 15, vendi Rs.32, saag (palak, rayo) rupees 10 one bundle, which was Rs.5, chilli (dalle) Rs.100 per kg which was Rs.60.
Similarly, prices of fruits have also shot up. Banana Rs.30 per dozen which was Rs.25, apple Rs.120 per kg which was Rs.70, Mausami Rs.50 per kg which was Rs.35. Sugar price has gone up to Rs.36 per kg from Rs.29.
According to one local customer, Mr. Rinzing Sherpa of Kartok, the rates of all the vegetables are very high. He said the main cause for higher rates may be due to over population and less production. “We the villagers have to buy vegetables brought from Siliguri which are not available in our village and also the vegetables grown in our village but not sufficient for us”, he said. Another customer Chandra Kala Sharma said, “All vegetables have become costlier than before. In this situation, it is very hard to for the lower middle class people to survive”, she remarked.
Villagers who sell their products in the haat like Buddha Singh Rai of Pachak and DB Manger of Namcheybong said “we have to sells our products according to the rates ruling in the market. Rates of all other commodities have gone high; in such situation we also have to raise our vegetable rates”.
Pakyong Sub-divisional Magistrate, Mrs. Roshni Rai said that the rates of vegetables is high in Siliguri and it becomes still higher when brought to Pakyong and other parts of the state. Local vendors fix the rates of vegetables according to the market and also bargain with the customers, she added.

People urged to bear with price rise in Sikkim

GANGTOK, August 20: Urging the people to bear with the increase in prices of consumer goods as an inevitable fact of life, the State Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has finally come clean on the increasing price rise in the State and its affect on the common man.
The Department has requested all the consumers to “appreciate” that increase in the prices of essential commodities in the State were results of overall price increases at the manufacturing/wholesale markets and “not the result of the Department not controlling the prices in the State.”

The Department today issued an official statement clarifying its role of regularly monitoring the price fluctuations in Siliguri market in respect of essential commodities like Pulses, Mustard oil, Dalda and open market sugar and also stating the measures taken to prevent overcharging by retail traders.
The Department said it has been fixing the retail sale price of essential commodities by incorporating the transportation cost, leviable taxes and a reasonable margin of profit for the retailers, adding “revisions of prices are made on a weekly basis depending on the price fluctuations in whole sale market of Siliguri.”

While stating that there has been no increase on the price of PDS commodities, the Department said that all the District Collectors have been authorized to fix the retail sale price of commodities within their respective Districts with the assistance of District Civil Supplies Officers on the same formula adopted by the Department for last several years.

At the same time, all the consumers are appealed to check the rate boards in the shops while purchasing essential commodities and enquire about the rates/prices fixed by the Department wherever applicable and ensure that he/she is not overcharged. “In case of any trader/individual found charging the rates/prices more than department’s fixation, such cases must be reported to the department or to Police for appropriate legal action without any hesitation. It must also be noted by each consumer that all the packaged commodities must have its retail sale price and expiry dates printed on it and under no circumstances, no one can charge the rates more than the printed price irrespective of where the product is sold,” the department cautions.

The Department further said that it gives “top priority to consumer’s protection” and as such, all consumers should enforce their consumer right through proper forum and “join hands with the Department to avoid exploitation by unscrupulous traders individuals.”