Rain leads to spike in prices of veggies

THE NUMBER OF TRUCKS CARRYING VEGETABLE TOCK, FROM HILLY AREAS IN PARTICULAR, HAS COME DOWN OWING TO LANDSLIDES AND ROAD DISRUPTIONS

NEW DELHI: Prices of wholesale vegetables in the national Capital could see an upsurge following heavy rain in many parts of the country. Retail prices have already risen in the city.

The number of trucks carrying vegetable tock, from hilly areas in particular, has come down owing to landslides and road disruptions.

The produce at many places has also reduced due to heavy rain that has uprooted crops, wholesale dealers at the Azadpur Mandi said on Friday.

Prices in retail markets have already soared.

Tomatoes and peas, which were available for ₹40 and ₹80 last month, respectively, are now being sold at ₹80 and ₹120.

The case is same for ladyfinger and cucumber. Also, prices of varieties of potatoes coming from the hills, including Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, have seen a steep rise to ₹80 from ₹40 last month.

“While wholesale prices are still stable, there can be a sharp rise in the coming days. Only one truck carrying potatoes from Haldwani could reach Delhi on Friday. For now, wholesale rates for different varieties of potatoes has a marginal hike of ₹3. However, prices can go up for wholesale supply of all veggies soon. This is a trend seen every monsoon for at least three months – July, August and September,” said Rajender Sharma, chairman, Azadpur Mandi.

The Azadpur Mandi is Asia’s largest wholesale market for fruits and vegetables.

There are many areas along the river Yamuna that grow vegetables on the plains, which are full of sand. When rain and water let out by dams hits these regions, the grown vegetables get washed down, said Sharma.

“Vegetable prices go up every monsoon. But retailers have already hiked the rates too much. This will get steep once wholesale prices in mandis also go up,” said Shalini Saxena, a resident of Greater Kailash-1.