In last few months, rates of vegetables are unstable due to multiple factors. When the lockdown was implemented it stopped the moment of goods that forced prices to increase. After unlocking started markets were dumped with vegetables which decreased the rates to single digits. These changes affected the income of farmers who are dependent on the market rate.
This year monsoon saw huge rains that destroyed farms which affected the wholesale markets in Delhi and Mumbai. Rate of 1 KG tomato which was Rs 1-2 per kg in May is now Rs 40-50 per kg.
Supply from Himachal and Karnataka reduced to Delhi mandi. Farmers planted in fewer areas due to the crash in the month of May as they failed to get good returns. Adding to the situation heavy rains destroyed the crops in some parts of the country.
“Supplies of tomato from states like Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala have also been disrupted, due to heavy rains in June after the cyclone, Nisarga destroyed the crop,” said Vegetable Growers Association of India president Sriram Gadhave to ET.
Prices of vegetables like cucumber, capsicum, and bitter gourd have also increased by 25 to 35 percent in past one month. In Mumbai wholesale marker, capsicum is being sold at a rate of Rs 55 per kg, bitter gourd at Rs 45 a kg, cucumber at Rs 50 a kg, and bottle gourd at Rs 30 a kg.
The increase in petrol and diesel rates in Delhi also added to the increasing rate of vegetables. Traders are expecting the rates to continue to increase for some more time due to the increased rates in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
