Gone in 60 mins: 900kg of veggies at 24-30 a kilo

Gone in 60 mins: 900kg of veggies at 24-30 a kilo

Mumbai: The state government’s veggies-at-reduced-rates scheme, originally set for takeoff on Monday, finally got off to a successful start on Tuesday with people queuing up in large numbers at the 11 subsidy centres and retailers outside these centres dropping rates.
    However, it was not all relief for everyone: the agony for a
majority of Mumbaikars continued as prices at markets away from the subsidy centres remained artificially hiked.
    Observers said if the state sticks to its promise of opening up 89 more centres quickly, the likely drop in prices at markets nearby will benefit many more Mumbaikars.
    At the 11 co-operative centres, each of which received 1,000 kg of supplies from APMC wholesalers, the stock was over in a few hours as fresh farm produce sold for a fourth of retail rates.
    Cauliflower was at Rs 28 per kg as against Rs 60-80, cabbage at Rs 19 as against Rs 40, lady finger was available for Rs 40 as against Rs 60-80, brinjal for Rs 24 and french beans for Rs 34. Retailers could feel the heat in days to come
Mumbai: For once housewives sported big smiles as they snapped up vegetables at the special government centres on Tuesday. Chillies were at Rs 34, and coriander, which had gone missing from household menus for months, sold for Rs 10 as compared to Rs 30-40 for a similar bunch elsewhere.
    Anil Gangar, chairman of Apna Bazar which has provided many of its outlets for this scheme, said, “Stocks emptied out within three hours of the opening. We will requisition more stocks tomorrow. At Andheri, we had to turn back people. Our officials urged them to return on Wednesday.”
    At Sahakar Bazar at Kalwa (Thane), 900 kilos of vegetables were sold within an hour. At the Mantralaya consumer store which is one of the 11 centres, government officials and policewomen queued up to buy. Apna Bazar imposed a cap of 5kg vegetables per person to deter retailers. In Thane, the response compelled Sahakar Bazar to impose a ceiling of two kg on each variety of vegetables. “The restriction was meant to put off traders who would purchase cheaper vegetables and sell them at a premium in the market,” said Narayan Gavand, president of Sahakar Bazar.
    Priya Gokhale, a buyer at Naigaon Apna Bazar said, “The prices are cheap, but the quality excellent. Cabbage is selling for Rs 19 per kg as against the market rate of Rs 40.”
    Cherishma Shah in Ghatkopar said this is the best relief citizens could have got, and Meenal Mistry, who went to a centre doubting the quality on offer, returned satisfied. Housewife Shweta Shetty stared incredulously at the price list and asked if the rates were for half a kg or one kg.
    Gokhale said vendors would now definitely have to lower rates. “They can call ‘bhabhi, bhabhi!’ when I pass by, but I’m not going to buy from them any more.”
    There was evidence of consumers turning their backs on retailers. Vendors at the Dhake Colony market near Andheri’s Apna Bazar store looked upset as almost all buyers preferred to enter the government stall and did not even make inquiries with them.
    Fresh stocks will be sent to the subsidy centres on Wednesday, but they will arrive late in the afternoon, so supplies will be available only from 4pm to 8pm.
    State agriculture minister Umakant Dangat said the government would try to maintain low prices for “as long as possible” so that retailers are forced to bring down rates.

SMILES BY THE KILO: While shoppers at the 11 government centres were delighted, there was no price respite for citizens elsewhere