In India, rising vegetable prices are jeopardising the common man’s budget. There is definitively a supply crunch, which has been caused by heavy rain. Apple, pomegranate and bananas are cheaper than cauliflower, carrot, capsicum, and coriander in most parts of the north India. But there is not much change in the prices of onion, potato and garlic. Traders and vendors have blamed the short supply due to excessive rain in central India for the higher prices of vegetables.
According to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Agriculture, retail prices of vegetables will remain high until the arrival of the new crops.
The data collected from several vegetable markets across the national Capital showed that average retail prices of vegetables have surged sharply in the past few weeks.
According to a wholesaler in the Ghazipur vegetables and fruits market, the unusually heavy rainfall in major and trading centres, causing extensive damage to vegetable crops, coupled with the high transportation costs, have significantly contributed to the increase in prices.
The monsoon which was around 8 per cent deficient in June is now 7 per cent excess. Several parts of the country, except Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and parts of Odisha, have experienced good rains this season.
Source: dailypioneer.com