Spot prices of the best quality crop were ruling around Rs 5,500 per quintal, while the next best quality fetched Rs 4,000.
Farmers had already begun stacking their best quality crop in cold storages, after unloading more of the medium and low quality crops at the yard. On the accident day, which was a holiday, about 13,000 bags were unloaded.
Farmers now say that untimely rains hit the crop in February- April. Crop size was likely to be affected, but not quality. And now the fire is certain to create acute scarcity. All these could catapult spot prices.
