Mumbai: Vegetable prices soar as lockdown eases

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Even as the lockdown imposed due to the Coronavirus outbreak is easing in Mumbai in a phased manner, its impact on the rising price of vegetables refuses to wear down. According to a report in The Times of India, a sharp rise has been seen in the prices of vegetables since Tuesday.

The report stated that the price of tomatoes in the retail markets of Bhandup, Khar, Bandra, Ghatkopar, Breach Candy, Andheri, and Navi Mumbai rose from Rs 50 to Rs 70-80 per kg in just two days.

On being questioned about the reason behind the price rise, the retailers blamed the lockdown. One of the retailers told the newspaper that farmers have suffered huge losses due to lockdown as labourers have returned to their villages and seeds were not sowed for months. "Farmers sold their pre-lockdown crop for a pittance in March-April. After that, they stopped sowing new crop fearing that more investment would go waste. As a result, now there is a shortage," a wholesaler was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

Low production of the crops in Maharashtra due to unsuitable weather has forced retailers to import vegetables from other states and that has also been a factor for the surging prices.

In Vashi's APMC market, the wholesale rate of tomatoes has surged from Rs 28-30 per kg to Rs 40-50 per kg. Moreover, prices of bitter gourd, green peas, capsicum, and ginger have also seen a rise as the retailers have been selling them for more than Rs 100 per kg. "Tomato and capsicum from within Maharashtra have dwindled due to unsuitable weather. Mumbai is now dependent on supplies from Bangalore," a trader was quoted as saying.

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