Maharashtra Vegetable Price Hike: Can Farmers and Consumers Cope With Soaring Veggie Rates Due to the Monsoon?

Due to last week’s heavy rainfall in Pune district, the supply of leafy and other vegetables in the market has significantly decreased. Some crops have been damaged, and harvesting has come to a halt in several areas. As a result, while the availability of vegetables has declined, consumer demand has surged. This imbalance has pushed the prices of most vegetables above Rs 100 per kilogram, with prices rising by 20 to 30 percent. Senior trader Vilas Bhujbal informed that these elevated prices are likely to continue for the next few days due to the persistent rainfall.

Usually, around 90 trucks of vegetables arrive daily at the Market Yard from across the state and outside. However, this volume has dropped in recent days. In some areas, harvesting has stopped completely due to the intense rains, and in other places, crops have been damaged. Currently, the vegetables arriving in the market are mostly of lower quality, and the better-quality produce is fetching premium prices, putting leafy greens beyond the reach of the common man.

At the end of May, Pune and sthe urrounding regions experienced heavy to very heavy rainfall. This disrupted harvesting and led to major losses, especially for leafy vegetables. Although there was a brief 4-day break in rainfall, which allowed some harvesting to resume, rains have begun again. Traders have predicted that due to continued rainfall, there will be no significant increase in the supply of vegetables in the coming days, and prices will likely remain high.

Current Vegetable Prices (per kg):

• Cluster Beans (Gawar): Rs 120
• Drumsticks: Rs 100– Rs 120
• Green Peas: Rs 120– Rs 160
• Ridge Gourd (Doodka): Rs 100– Rs 120
• Okra (Bhendi): Rs 100– Rs 120
• Capsicum: Rs 100– Rs 120

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Whenever the rains start, leafy vegetables suffer heavy losses. Farmers end up earning little to nothing. The arrival of high-quality vegetables has decreased significantly, which has further triggered price hikes. On Thursday, fenugreek (methi) bundles were sold at Rs 60 to Rs 70 — the highest price ever. Similarly, the prices of coriander, spinach, ambadi, and spring onions have also shot up, with their bundles being sold at Rs 30 to Rs 40.