Skyrocketing vegetable prices in Ahmedabad have once again made consumers and restaurateurs nervous. Because of the extended monsoon and the delayed onset of winter, the harvest of several winter greens and other vegetables has been delayed. As a result, wholesale as well as retail prices of several winter vegetables have been rising for over a fortnight.
Green peas and purple yam cost as high as Rs 200 per kg in the retail market. Similarly, carrots, small gourds and French beans cost more than Rs 100 a kg. The prices of tomato and onion, which are widely used in gravies and an array of dishes, have also gone up, hurting the pockets of restaurateurs.
"Many crops were damaged due to the extended monsoon," said a well-placed source in the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Ahmedabad. "Moreover, the supply of some vegetables not harvested here is also short. Thus, prices have been impacted."
Commenting on the output, Mafa Bharwad, a farmer from Kamijla village in Surendranagar district said, "I grow bitter gourd and lady's finger. Depending on the demand and supply, I get Rs 30 per kg sometimes." Bharwad said that but most of the times, farmers get around Rs 200 for a 20 kg bag of these vegetables. "The winter crop will be delayed this time," he said.
According to information, it will take another fortnight to a month for vegetable prices to stabilize.
