Vegetable supply hit by 40 per cent at APMC market

Mumbai: With the monsoon drawing to an end, the supply of vegetables at Vashi’s Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) market has been affected and the prices of fruits and vegetables have increased further.

According to crop and vegetable traders, the supply of vegetables has reduced by 40 per cent this week owing to unprecedented heavy rain. Subsequently, the retail prices of vegetables have almost doubled.

Common vegetables like potato, onion, tomato and okra are selling at Rs 70 to Rs 80 per kg. An official from the APMC committee said, “Since mid-August, we have been struggling with supplies due to heavy rains that have damaged crops in Maharashtra and Gujarat. The prices had already soared by 30 to 40 per cent by mid-August and continuous heavy rain in September has further pushed up prices.”

Presently, vegetables like cauliflower, beans and coccinia are selling at `100 per kg, according to vegetable vendors. Rama Ugale, a vegetable vendor at the Mulund civic market said, “The prices at APMC markets are not getting stable. Moreover, consumers are also not buying vegetables like cauliflower and coccinia due to the steep price.”

Meanwhile, traders at the APMC market fear that the retail price of onion will soar to `100 per kg by the end of September. “Earlier, there was not enough water for the sowing of onion during the rabi season in parts of Maharashtra. Later due to heavy rain, crops were damaged by flooding in Maharashtra. At APMC, onion is being sold at up to `50 per kg, an around 50 per cent increase in rates,” said the APMC official.

As per APMC data, onio-ns were sold at price ranging from `1,500 to `5,100 per 100kg at Lasalgaon market in Maharashtra.