Maharashtra: Vegetable prices skyrocket fueling aam aadmi's agony

The vegetables market has already started feeling the heat of delayed monsoon. The veggies prices have increased by 10-15 per cent.

According to the traders at Agriculture Produces Market Committee (APMC), Vashi, the demand is steady but the supply of vegetables has gone down. "We need at least 600 trucks of vegetables for Mumbai and its suburbs. But we are getting only 500 truck load. This has impacted the price of vegetables. The price has gone by 10-15 per cent, and if the monsoon gets delayed further, the price will soar higher," said Devidas Pingale, trader and ex-director of APMC Vashi.

In whole sale, ladies finger is being sold at Rs 35-40 per kg against Rs 30-35 per kg two days ago. "The rates have increased since the last two days. Price of tomato is Rs 20-22 per kg against Rs 18-20 per kg, cabbage is being sold at Rs 8-10 per kg against Rs 5-6 per kg," said Pingale.

"In summer supply of vegetables gets affected. But this year, delay of monsoons had made things worse. And that has affected productions and subsequently the supply. Therefore, the veggies prices has gone up," said another market observer.

However, onion-potato market has not been affected. "We are regularly getting 100 truck load of onion and 50 truck load of potato. If the delay in monsoon impact planting of onion, production of other crops will be hampered," said Ashok Walunj, trader and ex-director of APMC, Vashi.