Mumbaikars unseasonal rain to burn hole in your pocket as prices of leafy vegetables set to rise by 20%

Mumbai: Mumbaikars will have to pay more for green vegetables as the supply has dipped at the wholesale market. Traders say that there will be no respite in days to come as vegetables were damaged due to unseasonal rain, thunderstorm, and hailstorm in many parts of Maharashtra, especially vegetable growing areas.

Leafy vegetables like spinach, coriander and fenugreek (methi) leaves are severely damaged and their prices have already doubled in both the wholesale and retail markets.

Green vegetables damaged

Traders at the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Vashi say that around 40 percent of leafy vegetables arriving in the market are damaged. “For the past few days, the state has received unseasonal rain and hailstorms in some places. Therefore, the leafy vegetables entering the APMC vegetable market have been damaged by rain. Coriander and fenugreek have been particularly affected. Leafy vegetables soaked in unseasonal rain have entered the APMC market. Among these, coriander and fenugreek have been hit the hardest, say traders in APMC. As the quantity of damaged vegetables has increased, it is impacting the overall price of vegetables.

Unseasonal rains to affect the supply

Mumbai receives most of the vegetables from Nasik, Pune, Kolhapur, Sangli and other places in western Maharashtra and Karnataka. While most parts of Maharashtra witnessed rainfall and hailstorm, there is a dip in supply. According to traders, there is a forecast of rainfall and thunderstorms and which will impact the supply. “Nasik and Pune are major suppliers of vegetables to the city and these two places saw huge damage in the ready crop,” said another trader.

Unseasonal rains to affect the supply

Mumbai receives most of the vegetables from Nasik, Pune, Kolhapur, Sangli and other places in western Maharashtra and Karnataka. While most parts of Maharashtra witnessed rainfall and hailstorm, there is a dip in supply. According to traders, there is a forecast of rainfall and thunderstorms and which will impact the supply. “Nasik and Pune are major suppliers of vegetables to the city and these two places saw huge damage in the ready crop,” said another trader.

Supply takes a hit

On March 6, the APMC received a total of 455 vehicles laden with vegetables. However, half of the vehicles that arrived at the market were small pickup vans that carry a lesser quantity of produce. The normal supply is around 550 vehicles laden with vegetables. “Apart from small vehicles, vegetables arriving in the market are damaged,” said an administrative official at APMC. He added that the price of some vegetables has seen around a 20 percent rise due to lower supply.

Vegetable Prices:

March 1

Spinach: Rs 5 to Rs 7 per bunch

Coriander: Rs 6 to Rs 8

Fenugreek (methi): Rs 8 to Rs 10

March 21

Spinach: Rs 16 to Rs 20 per bunch

Coriander: Rs 14 to Rs 20

Fenugreek (methi): Rs 18 to Rs 24