Vegetables likely to get dearer: APMC

Amid the recent hike in price of petrol and diesel, the traders at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Vashi opine that this will directly impact the retailers and farmers as their cost for transporting the vegetables will increase.

The traders added that it will have an indirect effect on the price of vegetables as the retailers will increase the price for the same to recover the added cost due fuel hike.

"In the past three years, the cost of diesel has increased by almost Rs 30-35 and this has affected the ultimate buyers who are citizens buying vegetables or fruits from the market," said Shankar Pingle, former director of APMC and a trader.

Diesel, considered to be the transporter's fuel, was being sold at Rs 72.21 in Mumbai on Monday and petrol was being sold at Rs 84.40.

Additionally, farmers use diesel-powered tractors and pumps. The fuel price hike may also see an increase in their operational cost and this may result in selling their products at a higher rate.

Traders from the APMC indicated towards a gradual increase in prices of vegetables, fruits, groceries and other essential items due to the fuel price going up tremendously.

"The price of mangoes may have an impact this year towards the end of the season if the price of diesel witnesses a steady increase and we might not see the price of mangoes going down towards the end of season like every year," said a trader from APMC.