Vegetable prices in Kolkata's retail marketplaces remained elevated on Friday, owing to untimely heavy rains in the city, which harmed the city's standing crops.
A significant demand-supply gap can also be evident in the city because of a constrained supply line caused by recent unexpected rain.
West Bengal Vendors' Association president Kamal De stated, "Since winter vegetables are highly weather-sensitive, they tend to rot in a flooded field."
Markets are likely to behave abnormally because demand will exceed supply, and unseasonal rains will be blamed because such rainfall has not occurred in the past 40years, he noted.
As a result of unseasonal rainfall, a whole range of crops has been badly damaged, including brinjal, green chillies, cabbage, cauliflower, coriander leaves and green peas.
Almost all the vegetables have become costlier as prices have increased by Rs.20-Rs.30 only in three days, adding to the ordinary man's woes. Furthermore, they are projected to continue at elevated price levels in the coming days.
While green chillies have reached Rs.100 to Rs.120 per kg, other vegetables such as potatoes and onion, a staple in most Indian dishes, have also seen a hike in prices. Prior to the rainfall, parwal was available for Rs.60 per kg. It is currently being sold for more than Rs.100 per kg.
On the other hand, the cost of ridge gourd (jhinga) has also gone up from Rs.50 per kg to Rs.100 per kg.
Consumers are grappling with the sudden rise in prices of vegetables, which usually sell for less in cooler times.
Traders, however, feel prices are not likely to go down any time soon. Subal Saha, a trader at Lake Market, said “The prices are likely to rise further till new vegetables grow. The rain has broken the chain of vegetable production. It will take some time to cool off the prices.”
An agri marketing department official said, “We are keeping a close watch on the market. We may carry out raids and seizures, if traders try to increase prices to maximize their profit.”
