Select vegetables' prices crash on farmers' rush for sale

Huge arrivals from Gujarat and MP increase supply; farmers fear higher spoilage on rise in temp

Vegetables prices have crashed in the past two weeks due to farmers’ rushing for sales, on worry of spoilage due to a sudden rise in temperatures across the country.
 
Data compiled by the government-owned National Horticulture Board show cauliflower in the wholesale market here has slumped 25 per cent since March 17, to trade currently at Rs 6 a kg. Bitter gourd and brinjal in Delhi plunged 31.4 per cent and 36.4 per cent in these two weeks, to Rs 24 and Rs 8.75 a kg, respectively. Okra in the Kolkata wholesale market fell by 25.7 per cent to Rs 26 a kg.
 
Accordingly, retail prices have also fallen. Garlic in Mumbai has slumped to Rs 80 a kg, a decline of 20 per cent in a fortnight. Bitter gourd in Kolkata has fallen 30 per cent, to Rs 28 a kg.
 
“There is a bumper vegetable crop this year. Hence, prices have declined due to a sharp increase in arrivals over recent weeks. Also, farmers do not want to hold harvested goods, amid fear of high spoilage following a sudden increase in temperatures in two weeks,” said Sriram Gadhave, president, All India Vegetables Growers’ Association.
 
This plunge has had many growers deciding to switch to alternative crops next year, for a better return. Again a worry, as growers in a region tend to sow the same seeds at one go. Which means a bumper output and another price crash. For instance, at present, growers are literally burning potatoes in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh — the prevailing price does not fetch even the transport cost to the wholesale market.
 
Therefore, it is important for farmers to get intelligent advice on sowing and balance in crops, depending upon climatic conditions.
 
“Some companies have stated farm advisory services but these have a long way to go for changing the fortunes of farmers,” said Sanjay Bhujbal, a vegetable stockist at the Navi Mumbai trading centre.
 

Meanwhile, vegetables in short supply have seen prices remaining firm. Green peas in Mumbai, not in season, have jumped 44 per cent to trade currently at Rs 44 a kg in the wholesale market. And, their retail price is up 66.7 per cent to Rs 50 a kg here. Tomatoes in the retail Delhi market have jumped by 25 per cent to Rs 25 a kg; cabbage in Kolkata retail shot up 37.5 per cent to Rs 11 a kg.
 
“Increased supply from Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh is keeping vegetable supply uninterrupted, as of now. However, with increasing temperatures and falling water levels in reservoirs, harvesting will be impacted in coming weeks. We expect a majority of vegetables’ prices to increase by Rs 5-Rs 8 a kg in wholesale markets this month,” said Rajiv Tevtiya, managing director at RML AgTech, a city-based crop advisory company.
 
According to the first advance estimate from the Union ministry of agriculture, the total area under horticulture sowing was marginally lower at 24.37 million hectares for 2016-17, compared to 24.47 mn ha the previous year. The ministry forecasts output at 287.32 million tonnes, compared to 286.19 mt last year.
 
RML AgTech estimates vegetable production at 168.6 mt for 2016-17, a marginal decline from 169.1 mt the previous year.