Vegetable prices saw a sharp increase last month due to heavy rains in key production areas, which damaged crops and disrupted transportation, according to traders at Azadpur Mandi, Asia’s largest fruit and vegetable market, as reported The Economic Times.
The report quoted Manoj Kumar, a trader in Azadpur Mandi, as saying that in the last two weeks, the supply of vegetables to the market has decreased, which has contributed to the increase in prices.
Click here to contact us on WhatsApp
Heavy rain disrupts the supply chain
The attack follows heavy rains in major agricultural states like Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh.
The prices of essential vegetables like onion and tomato have gone up to Rs 70 per kg in many supermarkets, while green vegetables like capsicum, spinach, and khakan are sold at around Rs 100 per kg, the report said.
Government data shows that on September 25, the modal price of onion rose to Rs 53.46 per kg, marking an increase of 16.55 percent from Rs 46 last month. Similarly, the price of tomatoes increased by 9 percent, rising from Rs 46 per kg to Rs 50 per kg during the same period.
Vegetable prices tend to rise during monsoons as rain affects the harvesting process, including picking and packing. Disruption in transportation exacerbates the situation by leading to increased damage. This year, the heat wave also contributed to crop damage in key production areas, the report said.
The government may sell tomatoes in mobile vans
As tomato prices rise in both retail and wholesale markets, the government may step in by selling tomatoes in mobile vans, as it has done in the past.
Nidhi Khare, secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs, said that the situation is being monitored and the department will intervene if necessary.
Khare mentioned that prices are expected to stabilize soon, as there are no significant supply issues for onions and tomatoes.
However, farmers and traders indicated that kharif tomato sowing lagged behind last year’s levels in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. In Maharashtra, pest and disease attacks have exceeded economic levels, further reducing supply, the report said.
Regarding onion, Khare said that the government will start selling it at a low price throughout the country this week. If prices continue to rise in key producing districts like Nashik, the government will release more onions from its stock to stabilize the market, the report said.
The Department of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution began releasing onions from its buffer stock of 470,000 tons on September 5, when prices began to rise. However, after the removal of export restrictions, prices started to rise again.
First published: Sep 27 2024 | 9:38 AM IST