City residents are grappling with a steep rise in vegetable prices after supply got hit in Punjab’s Apni Mandis on Wednesday, disrupting the flow of fresh produce to Chandigarh markets. Retailers reported that all varieties of vegetables have become costlier, with tomatoes leading the surge.
In just under two weeks, tomato prices have doubled—from ₹49 per kg on June 15 to ₹60 per kg in mandis on Wednesday. Retail outlets are quoting even higher, with standard tomatoes selling at ₹80 per kg and premium quality nearing ₹100 per kg. Prices of other vegetables, including capsicum, bottle gourd, and lady finger, also saw sharp jumps compared to last month.
“Floods have affected the local produce in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh badly. Due to overnight rain in Chandigarh on Wednesday, supply could not reach the flooded mandi. As a result, vegetables are being sourced from Uttar Pradesh. Tomatoes are being sourced from Bangalore. This adds transportation cost, thus increasing the prices,” said Komal Sharma, in-charge of Apni Mandi, Punjab Mandi Board.
Sharma explained that tomatoes, usually sourced from Punjab, had already faced supply shock due to strong winds and an extreme heatwave, which hurt production and lowered quality. With fields battered by floods and labour availability shrinking, the situation has worsened. “Being a perishable crop, tomatoes are especially vulnerable. Good quality ones are scarce, hence resulting in steep retail prices,” she added.
{{/usCountry}}Sharma explained that tomatoes, usually sourced from Punjab, had already faced supply shock due to strong winds and an extreme heatwave, which hurt production and lowered quality. With fields battered by floods and labour availability shrinking, the situation has worsened. “Being a perishable crop, tomatoes are especially vulnerable. Good quality ones are scarce, hence resulting in steep retail prices,” she added.
{{/usCountry}}Onions and potatoes, however, remain relatively stable at ₹30 and ₹25 per kg, respectively.
“With supplies now coming from the south, prices of almost all vegetables are expected to stay high in the coming weeks,” Sharma cautioned.
Bottle gourd and capsicum are also being sold at expensive rates, at ₹70 and ₹120 respectively. Cauliflower is being sold at ₹120 in mandis, ₹70 for bitter gourd, ₹120 for garlic, ₹60 for carrot and ₹70 per kg for brinjals.