Vegetable prices hit bottom on good supply

Nagpur, Dec 4

Prices of vegetables in the last fifteen days have touched a rock bottom, thanks to good arrival in the market with the onset of winter. The demand for vegetables has also moved up due to festive and wedding season. However, ample supply has kept their prices subdued, sources told Lokmat Times on Saturday.

This situation would continue for the next three months, informed secretary of Mahatma Phule Sabji

Bazaar Association, Ram Mahajan here on Saturday.

Only last month, prices of vegetables moved in the range of Rs 60-80 per kg, with corriander prices touching a sky high of Rs 140 per kg. However, with increased arrival, their prices in the wholesale market have been reduced by half, sources informed. As a result, prices of all vegetables in the wholesale market moved in the range of Rs 15 to Rs 30 per kg on an average.

Their quality was also good.

Another reason for low prices of vegetables is said to be their arrival to the city market from local farmers on the periphery of Nagpur, barring a few vegetables like tomato, brinjal, green chilli and cauliflower, thus enabling farmers to save on transportation cost.

However, their prices in retail market may vary depending upon the locality. In Sakkardara market in South Nagpur, prices of vegetables were same as that in the Cotton Market because vegetable consignement to this market arrives directly from the farmers’ farm. In Gokulpeth, Dharampeth, Sadar

and Khamla markets, prices were a notch higher on Saturday because of higher demand on weekend.

Similarly, apart from traditionally available leafy vegetables like fenugreek and spinach, a variety of other leafy vegetables like sarso, bathua, green gram, ambadi are also available in the market.

As a result of increased demand for vegetables, number of public carriers bringing vegetables to the local markets has gone up from around 50 to 60 last month to about 100-120 nowadays, Ram Mahajan said.

Presently tomato consignment is coming to Nagpur from Sangamner, Nashik and Bengaluru, cauliflower from Nashik, Buldhana, Aurangabad and local producers, green chilli from Buldhana, Mauda, Yavatmal, Raipur, corrinder from Pandharpur,Nashik, local producers and Nanded and brinjal from Nashik and local producers.

Though low prices of vegetables have brought cheers on the faces of housewives, the farmers who stand at the lowest rung of the supply chain are the worst sufferers as they are not getting adequate returns on their investment on farms, sources added.

Onion Rs 25 per kg in wholesale, Rs 35 in retail markets

In Kalamna wholesale market, prices of onion were pegged at Rs 25 per kg as compared to Rs 30 per kg last week. In retail market, onion was however, pegged in the range of Rs 35 to Rs 45 per kg as compared to Rs 55 to Rs 60 last week.

Currently, fresh produce of onion is coming to the market from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Solapur

while old produce is arriving from Nashik and Ahmednagar. Averagely, 25 to 28 trukcloads of onion are coming to city markets per week, of which two truckloads of white onion are coming to the city from Amravati and Akola each.

The prices of onion would come down further when new stock would hit the market in March after the old stock is completely exhausted, sources informed. Similarly, potatoes in the wholesale market are available for Rs 20 per kg while their prices in retail market were reported at Rs 30 per kg on Saturday.

Prices of vegetables in Cotton Market ( In Rs/kg)

Brinjal Rs 10, Green Chilli Rs 15, coriander Rs 20-Rs 25, Tomatoes Rs 40, chavlai pods Rs 15, Cluster bean Rs 25, Ladies Finger Rs 20, Bitter Gourd Rs 20, Bottle Gourd Rs 8, pumpkin Rs 8, Capsicum Rs 25, Tinda Rs 30, Jackfruit Rs 30, Radish Rs 10, Cucumber Rs 10, Spring Onion Rs 30, spinach Rs 7-Rs 8, Fenugreek Rs 15, Pea Rs 30, Tur (pods) Rs 30, cauliflower Rs 20, cabbage Rs 10