Prices of vegetables in the city seem to have escalated with each passing day last week and the increase can be attributed to unbridled export of vegetables to Pakistan.

Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee member Mahinder Kumar said unregulated export of vegetables to Pakistan has led to prices here shooting up by nearly 50 per cent.

“Wholesale prices were stable last month. However, over the past week, prices have gone up as key vegetables like tomatoes are being exported to Pakistan,” he said.

“What happened this time around was that rains were untimely and the harvest was not much. Despite the produce not being enough, export to Pakistan continues unabated. Truckloads of vegetables like potatoes, peas and tomatoes continue to be exported, resulting in escalation of cost here.”

The government, Mr. Kumar said, has failed to frame a policy to ensure that vegetables are exported only when there is sufficient stock in the city. At least 100 trucks of vegetables are being sent to Pakistan daily. One truck can carry 20 tonnes of a particular vegetable.

The Delhi Government, on the other hand, has claimed that prices of onions, potatoes, tomatoes and other vegetables are 10 per cent to 30 per cent less than last year. It also claimed that prices of many vegetables have shown a decline in the past three months, with supply of key vegetables being much higher in December 2014 compared to that in December 2013.

Meanwhile, tomatoes, which used to cost Rs.5 per kg in the wholesale market, are currently being sold for Rs.25 per kg. Peas, which were available in the wholesale markets across Delhi for Rs.10 per kg, are being sold for nearly Rs.30 per kg. Similarly, prices of capsicum have gone up to Rs.70 per kg from Rs.45 per kg a week ago.

Traders at Azadpur mandi added that the wholesale price of potatoes has increased to Rs.20 per kg from Rs.10-Rs.15 per kg a week ago. However, the price of onions is more or less stable at Rs.15-Rs.20 per kg.

Traders say that cauliflower, which is generally available for Rs.10 per kg, is currently selling for Rs.80 per kg. However, this is due to farmers opting not to grow cauliflower considering less returns last year.

The bad news, they say, is that prices are going to increase further and there is no respite in sight.