Vegetable prices soar in Bhubaneswar amid Odisha flood

Bhubaneswar: Prices of vegetables have shot up in the markets of Bhubaneswar as several districts of Odisha have been reeling under flood, leading to crop damage and supply chain disruption.

In downtown Bhubaneswar, tomatoes were being sold at Rs 25 per kg, up by around five bucks from a week ago, according to vegetable vendors.

They were selling cucumber at around Rs 40 a kg, while the price of brinjal increased to Rs 60 a kg.

Pointed gourd was available at Rs 40/kg. Prices of capsicum, ladies finger, ridge and bitter gourd, potato and onion have also soared, they said.

A vegetable seller said the cost of food items that were being imported from states like Andhra Pradesh remained stable, but the prices of essentials produced locally went up due to the flood.

He also mentioned that the supply chain from Athagarh and Banki areas of Cuttack, which is a major hub for vegetable production, was badly affected as the Mahanadi river was in spate following incessant rain.

Seasonal vegetables and crops were damaged as swathes of agricultural fields were inundated by the floodwater. Around 4 lakh people are marooned across 12 districts, including Cuttack.

A fresh flood in northern Odisha is expected as many parts of the region were pounded by torrential rain on Friday night, following which many rivers have swollen.