Rising prices of vegetables are jeopardising the common man’s kitchen budget due to the supply crunch caused by heavy rain.
Apple, pomegranate and banana are cheaper than cauliflower, carrot, capsicum, and coriander in most parts of the north India. But there is not much change in the prices of onion, potato and garlic. Traders and vendors have blamed the short supply due to excessive rain in central India for the higher prices of vegetables.
According to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Agriculture, retail prices of vegetables will remain high till the arrival of the new crops.
The data collected from several vegetable markets across the national Capital showed that average retail prices of vegetables have surged sharply in the past few weeks.
Retail prices of cauliflower have sharply risen to nearly `100 per kg from `60 per kg a few weeks ago.
Carrot (Orange) is selling at `100 per kg; coriander leaves at `300-400 per kg; bottle gourd (Lauki) is around `55-60 a kg from `20-30 a kg a few days ago. Radish is selling at `60 per kg which was being sold at `30 a kg two weeks ago.
Sponge Gourd is selling at `60 a kg which was at `30-40 a kg last week. Capsicum price is selling at `120-150 a kg. Retail prices of potato and onion are stable being sold at `25-30 per kg. Tomato is also being sold at `35-40 per kg.
Spinach, a seasonal vegetable, is selling at `80 a kg from `60 per kg last week. Garlic is selling at `25-30 per kg. Lemon prices have gone up from `20 per 250 gram to `30 per 250 gram. Retail price of radish is at `60 per kg.
The retail prices of vegetables at Blinket online stores showed that average retail prices of ladies’ finger is at `60 per kg; french beans `228 per kg; cucumber `80 per kg; sponge gourd `110 per kg; carrot `120 per kg; green capsicum `220 per kg; pointed gourd `80 per kg; brinjal `60 a kg; round gourd (tinda) `120 per kg; Radish `80 a kg and drumstick `360 per kg.
Similarly, in Bigbasket, retail prices of carrot (orange) is `75 per kg; tomato `39 per kg; lady finger `50 per kg; capsicum `86 per kg; coriander leaves `120 a kg; cabbage one piece (400-500 gram) `33; chilli green `60 a kg; ginger `118 a kg; radish `44 a kg; drumstick `150 a kg; brinjal `60 a kg and cucumber `60 a kg.
According to Naseeb Singh, a wholesaler in Ghazipur vegetables and fruits market, the unusually high rainfall in major and trading centres, causing extensive damage to vegetable crops and the high transportation cost due to spiralling diesel prices have significantly contributed to the increase in prices.
The monsoon which was around 8 per cent deficient in June is now 7 per cent excess. Several parts of the country, except Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and parts of Odisha, have experienced good rains this season.
Traders opined that there has been a significant reduction in the stock of local vegetables as well as those sourced from other States. “The State sources cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, beans, beetroot, raw papaya, raw banana, drumstick, capsicum from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and a few other States. The prolonged monsoon has not only damaged vegetable crops but also lowered the yield,” said Azadpur mandi traders.
“Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Punjab, and Bihar are major producers of cauliflower, which is harvested from August or early September, witnessed either excessive rain or no rain which impacted the production this year. Retail price of cauliflower is Rs 100 per kg,” Singh said. Rain in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have upended supply lines and damaged crops in key growing regions.
Similarly, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Karnataka, and Haryana are top growers of capsicum. This year West Bengal, Karnataka and Haryana received excessive rain in August and September which is known for the harvesting period of capsicum while Jharkhand and Himachal Pradesh received less rains that impacted the crop,” said an official of the Haryana agriculture department.
In the case of carrots, Haryana, West Bengal, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar are top producers in the country. This year’s monsoon has impacted the production as some States got heavy rain while some had less rain during the harvesting period, said officials.
The retail prices of Sabzibhazi online vegetables and fruits store showed that retail prices of cauliflower is Rs 120 a kg; potato is at Rs 30 a kg; tomato is at Rs 35 a kg; onion is at Rs 30 per kg; peas is at Rs 160 a kg; Cabbage is at Rs 70 a kg; bottle gourd is Rs 50 a kg and ladies’ finger is at Rs 60 a kg.
