Mumbai: Had no choice but to hike price, say vada pav sellers

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The rates of most affordable snacks available in the city - vada pav, bhaji pav and samosa pav - have increased by Rs 2 to Rs 5 in view of the hike in rates of edible oils and commercial cylinders due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Sellers said they cannot continue to sell at the earlier price anymore and added that prices of other ingredients, such as chillies, too, had increased.

Nilesh Thakkar, who runs Rajmata Vada Pav Snack Centre from the past 35 years, said, "It is not affordable to sell vada pav at the earlier rate anymore. The price of commercial cylinders has increased by around Rs 200 and we now have to pay Rs 2,400 for each cylinder. Similarly, refined oil prices have also been hiked from around Rs 1,400-Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,400. Chilli is also now available at Rs 100 per kilo. So, we had to increase the rate too. If we don't, we would not be able to run our shops."

Another seller, Anand Mishra, owner of Shree Krushna Shop at Bandra, said, "The rate of oil has suddenly increased by Rs 800-Rs 900 and the price of gas has also increased. Earlier, we used to pay Rs 1,600 for gas and now it stands at Rs 2,300. Green chilly too has become expensive. Earlier we used to sell each vada pav for Rs 20 but we have now increased it to Rs 22. Similarly, we are selling samosa pav for Rs 23 as opposed to earlier Rs 20, and bhaji pav for Rs 22, up from Rs 20. We do not want to trouble our customers, but we are left with no choice."

Shankar Thakkar, an edible oil trader, said, "In the past two years, edible oil rates have increased around 60-65 per cent, first due to COVID-19 and now because of the Russia-Ukraine war. The price of sunflower oil is up by 40 per cent while palmolein and soya bean oil prices rose by around 30-40 per cent. Most people who sell fast food in the city use palmolein oil, which used to be priced at R60-65 per litre but now costs Rs 150-160."

Rs 20-Rs 22
Current price of vada pav