Cabbages to Cauliflower: Mumbai vegetable prices soar after truck drivers strike

A nationwide protest by truck drivers and owners has significantly disrupted vegetable supplies to Mumbai, leading to a steep decline in arrivals at the Vashi wholesale market and higher prices for certain items. On Tuesday, only 460 vehicles carrying vegetables reached the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) market in Vashi, down from the usual 650 during this period. Notably, most of the vehicles were smaller pickup vans with lower carrying capacity.

Shankar Pingle, director of the Vegetable Market at APMC Vashi, said supplies from key vegetable-producing states like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Delhi were absent, impacting the availability of cauliflower, cabbage, carrot, and peas. Prices for these vegetables saw a sharp increase due to the scarcity. However, Pingle noted that supplies from Pune, Nashik, and Satara remained normal. Vegetable traders expressed concern that the disruption could worsen if the poor supply continues. While the number of vehicles arriving at the market was down slightly, the overall quantity of vegetables dropped by around 60%, with only small tempo vans and pickup trucks delivering produce.

Price comparison of vegetables in retail: