Cyclone Ockhi effect: Veggies and foodgrains to see a price 10-15% hike for next week in Mumbai

Due to untimely rainfall on Tuesday thanks to Cyclone Ockhi, the prices of vegetables and foodgrains are likely to go up by 10 to 15%.

According to the traders at Navi Mumbai's Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), the untimely rain has ruined perishable crops such as onions, tomatoes, coriander, spinach, chillies, etc.

“On Wednesday, the whole prices of onion in Nashik, was Rs 35 per kg, while on Thursday, it will be sold at Rs 40-45 per kg. The untimely rainfall will affect these perishable vegetables,” said Ashok Walunje, trader and former director at Vashi APMC.

 Walunje said that there will be a shortage of supply on Thursday because of the unseasonal rain.

“Once the supply dries up, the vegetable and onion rates will automatically go up. This trend will continue for at least for another 10 days,” he added.

Besides, veggies and onions, other rabi crops, mainly wheat, barley, sesame, mustard, peas, maize, linseed, gram, cumin, have also been damaged by the untimely rainfall.

The rabi crops are sown in winter just at the end of October October end and harvested in spring. Some areas such as Palghar, Raigad, Nandurbar, Dhule, Nasik and Jalgaon districts in north and central Maharashtra were affected by hailstorms