Garlic Prices Soar Above Rs 550 In UP, Several Cities Register Price Hike In The Kitchen Staple

New Delhi: The prices of kitchen staples like tomato, onion and garlic have been a nagging issue for households, with rates of these essential items shooting higher often. Ihe recent days, the prices of garlic have risen by a considerable amount hitting the household budgets.

Due to the rise in garlic prices the household monthly budget has gone awry, with several families resorting to now skip the aromatic in their cuisine, said media reports. The skyrocketing prices of garlic has been witnessed in several metro cities of Maharashtra, Goa and Uttar Pradesh, which has immensely impacted the household expenditure.

As per several media reports, garlic prices are sold in the range of Rs 500-550 per per Kg in Uttar Pradesh. while better quality garlic is being sold at Rs 220-Rs 240 in the wholesale market, with the retail prices touching upto Rs 400 per kg in retail markets in several parts of the country.

Traders are blaming the delayed monsoon last year that further delayed garlic planting until August. This in turn has led to harvesting of garlic in January and thus resulting a shortage in supply. Prices have risen considerably due to the monsoon and harvesting cycle. Traders expect prices to drop in two weeks with the arrival of the new crop.

In retail stores at Tiruchi's Gandhi Market, 1 kg of good quality garlic was being sold at Rs 400, reported the Hindu, while the Indian Express has reported that garlic prices were being sold between Rs 300 and Rs 400 per kg  in most metro cities.