Low production due to severe heat causing veggie price hike, say APMC traders

Vegetable prices in Mumbai have risen significantly due to weather conditions and farmers choosing other crops. Tomato prices have risen from ?15 ($0.20) per kg to ?60 per kg in the wholesale market, and from ?40 per kg to ?80 per kg in the retail market. Traders have said the situation should normalise in three to four weeks as a new crop cycle begins.

NAVI MUMBAI: Vegetable prices have soared manifold in the wholesale market in the last few days, leading to a price escalation in the retail market as well.

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At the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Vashi, which supplies produce to Mumbai and its surrounding areas, the price hike is over 100% for a few vegetables, with tomatoes grabbing the top spot.

The tomato price, which was at ₹15 per kg in wholesale and ₹40 per kg in retail on June 19, touched ₹60 per kg and ₹80 per kg on June 26, respectively.

Traders have, however, attributed the steep hike in vegetable prices to a shortage in production due to severe heat conditions and delayed rain apart from farmers choosing other crops. They said the situation will normalise in three to four weeks.

Shankar Pingle, APMC director, said, “The vegetable growing areas of the state have suffered severe heat compounded by the delayed arrival of the monsoon. This has affected the production, which usually happens during this time of the year.”

Echoing the same, Ramdas Pawle, a wholesale trader, said, “There is a misunderstanding that the recent rains have led to spurt in the price. The rains have come only in the last few days and in fact, there is not much rain in the rural areas to affect the crop production.”

Pawale said, “Some time ago, farmers had thrown away tomato produce on the roads as they were not fetching them even their input cost. They virtually stopped all tomato production.”

The effect of this vegetable shortage and the subsequent rise in the prices has upset both the retailers and the buyers in the retail market.

Dharmesh Sahu, a retailer at Vashi sector 9 market, said, “We are getting vegetables at a higher cost. Due to heavy rains in the last couple of days, only a few customers are coming and the highly perishable unsold vegetables start rotting.”

“These factors increase our cost and we are forced to sell the vegetables at a higher price. The buyers are upset and have cut down purchases, which has hit us further,” Sahu rued.

Expressing unhappiness over the high prices quoted in the retail market, Sandhya Desai, a homemaker, said, “Price of every essential thing is rising and now vegetable prices too have soared. How is the middle class expected to manage its budget?”

“I had to cut down on my purchases. There is no guarantee on when the situation will stabilise,” she lamented.

Nevertheless, Pawle is hopeful that the prices will stabilise soon. The last crop cycle has come to an end and a new cycle will begin, he said and added that it will take 20-25 days for the new crop to arrive in the market and the prices are expected to drop.

“While the rains will help in the production, it will also depend on how much it rains. Heavy rains for a long period can destroy crops and that will further increase the prices,” he warned.

Meanwhile, fruit prices have not been affected much. Mango prices are even falling due to rains, especially Alphonso, which gets damaged once the monsoon arrives.