Bhubaneswar: The holy month of Kartika has begun, bringing a sharp rise in vegetable prices across Bhubaneswar. With most households avoiding non-vegetarian food during this period, the daily hike in vegetable prices has become a major concern for residents, especially for middle-class and lower-income families.

According to traders, the prices of most vegetables have gone up by ₹5 to ₹7 per kilogram within a week. At Unit-I Market on Sunday, tomatoes were sold at ₹40 per kg, okra at ₹80, cauliflower (two pieces) at ₹80, cabbage at ₹40 per kg, potatoes and onions at ₹25 each, yam at ₹80, cucumber at ₹60, ridge gourd at ₹50, and beans between ₹100 and ₹120 per kg.

Traders attribute the price rise to poor vegetable cultivation across Odisha this season due to unseasonal rains, especially in coastal districts. As a result, the state is depending heavily on vegetables imported from neighbouring states. Vegetables like banana, cucumber and ridge gourd are being procured from West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. When rainfall disrupts supplies in those regions, Odisha markets face immediate shortages.

Santosh Kumar Sahu, a local trader, said, “Continuous rains have damaged crops in Odisha. Since most vegetables are being sourced from outside the state, prices have remained high.” Another trader, Harikrishna Sahu, added that supply is lower than city demand. “We are not getting enough stock from outside states. Along with higher purchase prices, transportation costs have also gone up,” he said.

Wholesale traders confirmed that prices remain high even at the source. Kabiraj Swain, president of the Wholesale Vegetable Traders’ Association, said that incessant rains have damaged produce both in Odisha and other states. “We are getting beans from Bengaluru at ₹80 per kg, from Nashik at ₹65, and from Ranchi at ₹60. Cucumber from Kolkata costs ₹40, while the Andhra variety goes up to ₹80 per kg,” he said.

Consumers allege that some traders are taking advantage of the situation by creating an artificial shortage and selling at inflated prices. Retail markets across the city, including Unit-I and local neighbourhood markets, are witnessing unusually high prices.

Pinki Pradhan, a homemaker from Baramunda, said, “We don’t cook non-veg during the Kartika month. Earlier, ₹500 worth of vegetables would last our five-member family four days. Now, we spend nearly ₹1,200 a week, yet it’s not enough.”