With seasonal winter vegetables making an entry into the market scene in the city, households are all set to celebrate Makar Sankranti (harvest festival) on January 15 with an assortment of mixed vegetable curries and fervour.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Market Yard in the city witnessed the arrival of 2,152 trucks since 4 am on Sunday. According to the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), the market has been infused with good quality vegetables, fruits, onions and potatoes in large quantities.
However, with the good supply, the demand for the seasonal vegetables has also seen a rise, thus spiking their prices.
“On Sunday, 1,129 trucks of vegetables, 592 trucks carrying potatoes and onions and 431 trucks carrying fruits entered the city market,” said Babasaheb Bibave, head of the vegetable department of APMC. He attributed the surplus to the harvest festival, Makar Sanskranti.
“Most of the vegetables have become cheaper, but those used for the festival of Bhogi (celebrated a day before Makar Sankranti by lighting a bonfire), have seen a rise in their prices. Bhogichi Bhaji (mixed vegetable curry), is a traditional winter recipe cooked across Maharashtra on Bhogi, using the seasonal bounty of winter vegetables like red carrots, fresh green chickpeas, flat green beans and Indian Jujube and hence, due to the increased demand, the prices of these vegetables has increased,” he added.
“The rate of flat green beans, coccinia (tondli) and brinjal has increased as compared to last week. Flat green beans cost Rs 45 per kg this week as compared to Rs 35 per kg last week; coccinia costs Rs 40 this week as compared to Rs 30 last week; brinjal prices went up from Rs 20 per kg last week to Rs 30 per kg now and the cost of lima beans (pavta) increased from Rs 35 per kg to Rs 60 per kg. However, the rates of carrots were stable as compared to last week at Rs 30 per kg,” said Bibave.
{{/usCountry}}“The rate of flat green beans, coccinia (tondli) and brinjal has increased as compared to last week. Flat green beans cost Rs 45 per kg this week as compared to Rs 35 per kg last week; coccinia costs Rs 40 this week as compared to Rs 30 last week; brinjal prices went up from Rs 20 per kg last week to Rs 30 per kg now and the cost of lima beans (pavta) increased from Rs 35 per kg to Rs 60 per kg. However, the rates of carrots were stable as compared to last week at Rs 30 per kg,” said Bibave.
{{/usCountry}}Rates of leafy vegetables reduce
Leafy vegetables witnessed a slight reduction in prices with coriander costing Rs 5 per bunch, dill priced at Rs 5.50 per bunch and fenugreek (methi) costing Rs 6 per bunch this week, according to APMC officials.
Other vegetables have also witnessed a drop in rates with tomatoes costing Rs 12 per kg as compared to Rs 14 per kg last week. Chillies are now priced at Rs 25 per kg as compared to Rs 30 per kg last week and french beans cost Rs 30 per kg as compared to Rs 35 per kg last week.
However, spring onions saw an increase in its price by Rs 4 as compared to last week, costing Rs 10 a bunch this week.
Fruit prices spike
There is a massive demand for Indian jujube (ber) and jowar (hurda) as they are used during the Makar Sankranti celebrations, thus spiking their prices this week. Price of Indian jujube shot up to Rs 30- Rs40 per kg this week as compared to last week’s Rs 15 per kg. “The rates will remain the same till January 14 and then, the prices will reduce,” said Pandurang Supekar, a wholeseller of fruits.