MARGAO: Due to coronavirus pandemic the people have become health conscious and prefer locally grown vegetables even as its prices have skyrocketed. Manda Toraskar, a housewife from Housing Board-Gogol, said that prices of local vegetables, leafy vegetables and fruits had increased since lockdown affecting her weekly budget. The rise in prices has put an additional load of Rs 100-200 on her weekly vegetable budget. There is abundant varieties of local vegetables, leafy vegetables and fruits including mangoes available in Margao markets. But the only complaint of the people is that the prices had soared and that the vendors were taking advantage of the current situation. Locally grown vegetables like Tamdi bhaji, onions, green chillies, drum sticks, raw bananas, raddish, sweet potatoes and bhendi is available in large quantity in the Margao market as well as vendors are seen selling them by the roadside at many places. According to a vegetable vender Maria Fernandes from Davorlim, who sells leafy vegetables like Tambi bhaji and bhendi, people nowadays are buying leafy vegetables in ample quantity even as she was unaware whether it could be due to COVID-19 scare. There is apprehension in the minds of the people while buying vegetables imported from neighbouring Belagavi after COVID-19 positive cases increased there. A bunch of Tamdi bhaji is sold at Rs 20 per bunch in stead of Rs 10. For 50 pieces of local bhendi one has to pay Rs 60 while, 10 drum stick bundle cost Rs 50 and Rs 25 is charged for four drum sticks. Raw bananas are also sold at Rs 50 for three pieces. Hoewrver, there is no change in the price of local chilies. Santana Cardoso, a vendor from Borda-Margao opined that the sudden surge in vegetables prices was due to short supply of vegetables. The gap between demand and supply has widened and prices had of all types of vegetables and fruits had slightly increased. Local small size Papaya is sold between Rs 100 and Rs 120 while, a dozen of local bananas cost Rs 150. A senior citizen Ramesh Naik said that local vegetables and fruits prices were quite reasonable for last two months but all of a sudden the prices shot up which had become a concern for people.