Have a look at this extraordinary journey of how the fruit plate or salad bowl finally reach your dining table.
The Dadar bhaaji market (officially called Kranti Sinh Nana Patil Market), is one of the biggest vegetable markets in the city. It is also among the last of the stops in the food supply chain which brings farm produce into Mumbai city. Have a look at this extraordinary journey of how the fruit plate or salad bowl finally reach your dining table.
It is just about 6.30 am at the Dadar market and middle-aged Shivanandan, dressed in a white kurta and pajamas is busy directing loaders to carefully bring down the huge vegetable sacks from his truck. The sacks are heavy and the vegetables clumsily packed but his men have to work at top speed because vendors and customers have already begun to line up for the wares. The market has already begun to look messy but the scent of fresh vegetables makes up. Inside the market, a vendor, Vedprakash Vaishya, is busy striking deals for vegetables that he has stocked in his gala. His produce comes all the way from Nashik and Vashi. "At the end, I am here to make money here and sell the produce," says Vaishya who buy vegetables from the stocks that come on the trucks and sells them both, to wholesalers and retailers. He deals daily, with an agent from Nashik, from who he buys the produce. "I tell him the quantity and the price is decided on what finally come through. As for Vashi, my brother brings the produce with him, I don't need to depend on an agent there," adds Vaishya.
Also Read: Maharashtra: How veggies land on your table
The vendor admits that he pays a far higher price for the produce than the wholesale rate. So if the Bitter Gourd is Rs 38 per kg and French Beans approximately Rs 65 per kg, Vaishya pays Rs 45 per kg and Rs 70 kg respectively to the agent. This includes transportation and labour costs. "I am sure the agent makes some enough profit with the price he quotes to me," said Vaishya who loves to stock Cucumber, Brinjal, Round Gourd, and Flat Beans (walpapdi) among others. Vaishya, in turn, sells all the produce by adding Rs 5-15 per kg.
Also Read: The midnight sale that keeps market buzzing for hours
Gole, another vendor who exclusively deals with Curry Leaves was seen eagerly waiting for his supplies at the outskirts of the market. I deal in curry leaves (kadi patta and get them from Andhra Pradesh. When they arrive at CST, labourers drop them here and I pay for the transportation and the produce too," he said. Today, Cabbage, Cauliflower and Capsicum are priced in the range of Rs 50-70 per kg in the market. The price quoted also has a bearing on the quality and the availability of the fruits and vegetables. Vendors say prices vary depending on the demand-supply balance except in cases of leafy vegetables which are usually bought and sold cheap irrespective of the demand. cheaper prices. "Today the supply was in excess as compared to the demand. We purchased fenugreek leaves (Methi), for Rs 23 but it is being sold at Rs 20. Later during the day, we expect price to recover and then we may increase the prices. In case of spinach, corriander, and green onion among others, we will probably make a good profit," said Vinod Parte, an agent who gets his produce at Dadar and then sells it in wholesale and retail to road side vendors, malls and restaurants.
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