The price of coriander leaves reached Rs 40 to Rs 50 a bunch. The supply of most green vegetables was severely impacted due to the delay in monsoon in the state. According to traders, there will be no respite in days to come. For the last fortnight, due to heat in growing areas, the production has been affected and even those arriving at the market are spoiled. “Half of the leafy vegetables are spoiled during the transportation and this led to double the price. Secondly, the shelf life of such vegetables is very low,” said another trader.
Extreme climate challenging for farmers
The lack of rainfall and temperatures hovering around 35°C in late June have posed challenges for coriander farming. This has resulted in the rise of their prices in retail where one bunch of coriander. At present, coriander leaves are commanding Rs 20 to Rs 28 per bunch in the wholesale market.
As per the administrative office of the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), the arrival of vegetables decreased by around 30 per cent. Normally, the Mumbai APMC in Vashi receives around 500 to 550 vehicles laden with vegetables on a daily basis during this season. However, in the last 20 days, the supply has come down to 350 to 410 vehicles of which the majority of them are small pickup vans.
Other green leafy vegetables, including fenugreek and spinach, have also witnessed a rise in prices. However, coriander has been particularly affected as its cultivation primarily takes place in Nashik and Pune, where the temperatures remain consistently high.
