Mumbai Faces Soaring Vegetable Prices Amid Winter Chill and Supply Disruptions

Home cooks in Mumbai are facing a fresh pinch in their budget as vegetable prices have risen sharply due to a sudden dip in temperature affecting supply from key growing regions. The winter season, typically known for abundant and affordable green vegetables, has seen inconsistent supplies this year, causing difficulties for consumers in maintaining their kitchen budgets.

There is a sharp drop in the arrival of green vegetables and traders at vegetable markets of Agriculture Produce Market Committee say the dip in temperature at many places affected the supply. “Less number of farmers are bringing vegetables due to challenges in transportation,” said Prasad Mali, a trader at Vegetable market in APMC.

A sudden drop in the supply of vegetables at the wholesale market has pushed its price in retail. In the last week, vegetable prices increased by around 20 to 40%. However, traders at the wholesale market claimed that this is a short-term rise, and it will come down in a fortnight. 

Vegetable prices comparison

An administrative official from APMC Vashi informed that supply from Madhya Pradesh and Delhi hit due to dip in temperature. “Cauliflower, cabbage, carrot, and peas are supplied from these two states,” said. He added that there is also little dip in supply from Pune, Nashik, and Satara.

The Mumbai APMC in Vashi receives vegetables from Pune, Nasik, Satara, in Maharashtra and Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

In addition, the balance of temperature is required for some vegetables to grow. “Due to excessive cost in the northern parts of the country, vegetables like tomatoes are not ripe and farmers are unable to send them to the market,” said the official.

The rising price of green vegetables is pinching hard to the household budget. The price of Cauliflower has reached Rs 60 to Rs 80 per kg in the retail market. Even the cluster bean is commanding Rs 80 per kg. The price of tomatoes that had come down to Rs 20 per kg has again reached Rs 40 to Rs 50 per kg.

Shankar Pingle, the director of the Vegetables Market at (APMC) in Vashi says the fluctuation in supply is normal and it does not last long.

On January 19, around 581 vehicles, mostly pickup vans and tempos laden with vegetables arrived at the APMC Vashi. “There is around 20% lower quantity compared to normal supply of vegetables during winter,” , another trader.

Nisha Sunil Ramakrishnan, a Vashi resident, says that soon after onion prices came down, prices of vegetables have risen. “In the last six months, we did not have constant vegetable prices and this has made it difficult to manage the kitchen,” she said.