Visakhapatnam: The prolonged dry spell and low yield of crops have pushed prices of vegetables and also hit supply. With reduced supply, the prices of some vegetables have seen an increase over the corresponding period of last year. The prices of green leafy vegetables such as coriander leaves, mint leaves and few others have all breached their previous highs. The hot and humid weather has resulted in low vegetable yield thus affecting the supply of some vegetables to the city. The prices of vegetables at open markets in the city are around 30 per cent higher than the prices at the rythu bazaars.

Prices of most vegetables like beans, ridge gourd, spine gourd, green peas and few other varieties have seen a price rise between 30 to 50 per cent, hit by low arrivals. What is the most worrying is that the vegetable markers were flooded with mangoes than vegetables and the availability of some varieties of vegetables has almost disappeared, said P. Divakar, a regular visitor at the government-run vegetable market in the city.

Beans, spine gourd and also capsicum have become out of reach at Rs 55 a kg in the open markets. Similarly, the prices of ridge gourd and other varieties have touched Rs 35 a kg. Fortu-nately, the price of tom-ato and ladies finger is still Rs 15 a kg in the open markets. “With the non-availability of quality vegetables and soaring prices of vegetables, we have been struggling to manage the summer," said E. Bhavani, a housewife.

The price of one kg broiler chicken rose from Rs 180 to Rs 240 and the price of a fish touched Rs 150 a kg as the birds and fish are perishing due to sultry and humid weather. The prices of vegetables and chicken and fish will stabilise only in July said experts in the poultry and horticulture.