Mumbai sees surge in veg prices on supply issues

Lower arrivals due to shortage of water for irrigation, spurt in temperature sparking fears of damage to crops in transit blamed

Quite a few vegetable prices have jumped by up to 100 per cent so far this month in local markets here, on reduced supply from state farmers due to acute shortage of water for irrigation. A sudden rise in temperature has also raised fear of damage to the harvested crop while on transit in vehicles.

An example is pointed gourd (parval). “At the current Rs 80-100 a kg, only super-rich consumers can buy parval. It was quoted at Rs 50-60 a kg in the beginning of this month,” said Sanjay Bhujbal, a stockist.

However, commonly traded vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, bitter gourd and ladies finger have remained unchanged or even fallen a bit.

B B Matore, deputy secretary at the wholesale market in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, attributed the surge in prices of vegetables such as brinjal and other leafy ones due to sudden change in climate. “The temperature has risen sharply in the past few days, which enhances changes of spoilage of sensitive vegetables that have high moisture content. Leafy vegetables might see immediate spoilage, especially in transit. So, vegetables will become even costlier in the coming days and remain so till March–end or the start of April,” he said.

Maharashtra has seen a sharp decline in sowing of vegetables, according to the Vashi mandi officials, due to delay in kharif crop harvesting and proportionate delay in field preparation. Even sown crops were damaged due to unseasonal rainfall and hail in January, the flowering season of most early-variety vegetables.

Large farmers managed to sow seeds with their own irrigation facility but those dependent on rain could not, due to lack of moisture in the field.

Therefore, vegetables like tomato will remain in short supply. “Going forward, we will have to depend upon supply from Karnataka, which might prove costlier. Hence, until supply from alternative sources hits the market, tomato prices will remain firm,” said Matore.

“The quality of early-variety vegetables, with use of captive irrigation facility, was very good. The quality of new arrivals is not up to the mark. Therefore, stockists feel the good quality vegetables from local farmers have been exhausted. Hence, prices have started firming up. The rise will continue for some weeks,” Matore added.