LUCKNOW: Prices of vegetables , particularly those like potato and onions which are consumed on a regular basis have doubled in the last fortnight. Traders attribute the hike to current spell of excessive heat and humidity, scanty rainfall and hike in transportation costs.And while you may be praying for a downward trend to start soon, vegetable sellers across markets in city from Narhi to Qaiserbagh and Nishatganj to Chowk said that the price hike will continue till monsoon settles in adequately. Nirmal, a shopkeeper in Nishatganj said, “The heat and scanty rainfall are said to have hit production. With dip in supply and demand staying high, vegetables prices have shot up.” Vasuman, a vegetable seller in Narhi said, “Crop was destroyed in thundershowers in past weeks leading to supply shortage.”“Farmers are bringing less produce to market and that too of not good quality. We buy the good stuff which is costly and this is causing price rise in retail market,” said Krishna , a trader in Chowk mandi.(With inputs from Mohammad Haaris Beg, Kritika Lalwani, Meghna Pushpam, Pratyoosh Vatsala)