Pune: Vegetable Prices Surge by 20% Due to Weather and Low Supply
Market Yard, 17th June 2024: The harsh heat and pre-monsoon rains have caused significant damage to fruits and vegetables, impacting cultivation and reducing imports to the Market Yard in Pune. As a result, prices across all types of vegetables have risen by 10 to 20%.
Arrivals of fruits and vegetables at the wholesale market have been unusually low over the past week. On Sunday, only 80 to 90 truckloads arrived at the Market Yard, both from within Maharashtra and from outside the state. This scarcity in supply over the last two weeks has driven up prices, as reported by Vilas Bhujbal, a senior agent at Shree Chhatrapati Shivaji Market Yard.
The recent intermittent rains have further compounded the situation, causing significant losses in cultivation, which will delay new planting by at least one to one and a half months. Hence, prices are expected to continue rising.
Current prices per kilogram are as follows:
– Onion: 40 to 45 rupees
– Potato: 40 to 45 rupees
– Tomato: 70 to 80 rupees
– Okra: 120 to 140 rupees
– Guar: 150 to 160 rupees
– Brinjals: 80 to 100 rupees
– Cauliflower: 100 to 120 rupees
– Cabbage: 70 to 80 rupees
– Fenugreek: 40 to 50 rupees
– Coriander: 50 to 60 rupees
Vegetable sellers attribute the price hikes to adverse weather conditions, affecting both supply and quality. They anticipate continued increases unless planting conditions improve.
The prices of leafy vegetables have also surged due to reduced arrivals and lower quality. The retail market now sees coriander priced at 50 to 60 rupees per bouquet and fenugreek at 40 to 50 rupees. Traders expect these prices to remain elevated throughout the month.
The combination of adverse weather conditions and reduced supply has driven up prices sharply for fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens, affecting both consumers and traders alike.
