Right from the beginning of the year, the vegetable prices tugged hard at consumer's purse strings. Onion was available for a high of Rs 18 per kg in January only while tomatoes were priced at Rs 10. There was a hike in rates in February - the tearjerker was priced at Rs 35 in the beginning but the prices dropped to Rs 19 per kg by the month's end. The other vegetables though costly were at least affordable.

April saw the prices of vegetables providing a breather to the buyers. Tomatoes were available for Rs 12 per kg and onions at a low of Rs 6 per kg. Though lemons continued to burn a hole - available for Rs 40 per kg.

It was the prolonged and extremely hot summer followed by incessant rain that brought the scene of vegetable prices to a climax. The prices climbed up steadily from September onwards. The vegetables were already dear but it were the essentials that became a problem for the housewives. From Rs 13 per kg onion prices shot up to Rs 60 per kg in October and were perched there till November. Potatoes became all time dear at Rs 20 per kg, while tomatoes went the onion way - out of reach of the customers at Rs 60 per kg.

So much so that the middle class families were left with no option but to cut down on the consumption and look for alternate recipes, without using these expensive essentials. However, December has brought some respite with onion again becoming if not reasonable then at least affordable at Rs 15 per kg. Tomatoes too are down at Rs 10 per kg while peas which reigned at Rs 40 per kg are down at Rs 15 per kg. So are potatoes - down at low of Rs 2.50 per kg. All's well that ends well!