An Indian man was surprised to find bhindi (okra) being sold as a premium snack for the equivalent of Rs 7,200 per kg at a grocery store in the United States.
The man, Ashish Ahuja, shared a reel on Instagram with the caption:
“We grow up eating bhindi as a basic everyday vegetable. In India, it’s just another sabzi. But in America, they fry it, pack it in a small bag, and suddenly it’s a premium snack on the shelf. 85 grams for $6.50. More expensive than Lays.”
Ahuja jokingly added, “That’s okra charging you a personality tax. Nobody told bhindi it could do this.”
The reel has garnered over 248,000 views and more than 3,500 likes. It highlights the steep markups on many Indian vegetables in U.S. stores, where they are often sold as specialty products.
Limited supply, import costs, and lower demand contribute to higher prices compared to India, where okra is a common and inexpensive staple.
Social media reactions
The video sparked mixed reactions online, with many users pointing out how ordinary food items can become luxury products abroad.
One user commented, “In India, you can buy a kg for ₹20.”
Another joked, “CJP will make a revolution for this too.”
A third user wrote, “US mein fresh okra bhi expensive hai” (Fresh okra is expensive in the U.S. too).
A fourth suggested, “Let’s start an import-export business for bhindi.”
