Flux in vegetable prices in Bengaluru as festivals near

With the festive season around the corner, the prices of some vegetables are witnessing deep fluctuations in both directions.

While the prices of many veggies have drastically shot up in the past two weeks, some have become unexpectedly cheaper.

Carrots and green peas have seen the steepest but diametrically opposite change in prices. Carrots, sold for Rs 80 per kg until last week, are now retailing at Rs 140. Green peas, sold at Rs 300 until last month, are now being sold at Rs 220.

Then there are some vegetables whose prices have varied from costly to cheap to mildly expensive. Take beans, for example, which had become a rare commodity two months ago, with retailers quoting anywhere between Rs 120 and Rs 160 per kg.

The price first decreased to Rs 60, and is now hovering around Rs 70 to Rs 90.

Potato and cabbage prices have seen changes only in the range of Rs 10 to 20 while onion and tomato prices have seen slightly higher degrees of variation. Onions are now selling for Rs 50-60 per kg while tomato prices have fallen from Rs 60 to Rs 30-40.

M Chandrashekar, of the Vegetable Market Association, said that except for carrots and green peas, other vegetables such as radish, beans and cabbage have become cheaper.

Rainfall, pandemic

“The increase in the prices (of carrots and green peas) is due to a decrease in production. There is always a gap of about a month when certain vegetables cannot be grown. This leads to reduced supplies. But since the demand remains constant, the prices go up,” he explained.

Excess rainfall and the pandemic have only added to the farmers’ problems, he added.

Chandrashekar predicts that fluctuations in vegetable prices will continue for the rest of this year.

Onion and potato prices, which had changed frequently in the last five months, have now stabilised with only marginal upward revisions. Onion prices have seen the lows of Rs 20 per kg and the highs of Rs 80. But since a week now, the staple is retailing at Rs 50-60 per kg.

C Udayshankar, Secretary, Onion Traders’ Association, said excess rainfall in Karnataka and Maharashtra was behind the rise in onion prices. Unlike other vegetables, however, potatoes and onions are retailing at only between Rs 30 and Rs 50. Limits on onion exports have also stabilised the prices, he added.

According to Udayshankar, the prices are also determined by the locality where the vegetables are sold, besides factors such as retailers’ commission, transport costs and wastage charges.