Srinagar, Sept. 3 -- Locals in several areas across Kashmir said that vegetables are being sold at exorbitant rates. "We used to buy haakh (collard greens) at Rs 50, now it costs between Rs 80-90. Tomatoes and beans are also being sold at nearly double the usual price," said Mohammed Latief, a resident of Sopore.

Similarly, in Baramulla, Bandipora and Srinagar markets, the chicken prices have shot up from Rs 125 per kilogram to Rs 190, while the cost of eggs has also climbed steeply. "How will poor families manage? We are paying Rs 190 for chicken and still the quality is not fresh. This is exploitation in the name of highway closure," complained Aadil Firdous, a Baramulla resident.

Vendors, however, attribute the surge to supply shorta...