Vegetable, fruit prices to be on the rise over weak supply, crop damage

Trend expected to continue for at least some time

Vegetables and fruits have become costlier in select wholesale and retail markets since August due to weak supply following incessant rain and worry of crop damage in major producing centres.

National Horticulture Board (NHB) data showed okra in Delhi had jumped 77.8 per cent from Rs 13.50 a kg on August 1 to trade at Rs 24 a kg on Tuesday. Prices of other vegetables have also moved up, but to a lesser degree.

In some markets, prices of select vegetables have declined but that was attributed to farmers’ harvesting semi-ripe crops to benefit from rising prices.

Fruits have also become costlier in