This winter, are you planning an undhiyu and ponk party with a bonfire? Winter green veggies have grown more expensive, so be prepared to pay more.
Seasonal green vegetables such as green flat beans, green brinjals, green garlic, and spring onions, as well as root vegetables such as sweet potato and purple yam – all key ingredients in your favourite seasonal undhiyu – have become more expensive as a result of the recent spell of unseasonal rain and cloudy weather. Currently, the retail price of each of these crops is between Rs 100 and Rs 120 per kilograms.
The increase in price is attributed by agriculture experts to the availability of green vegetables being limited by unseasonal rainfall. Khedut Ekta Manch’s previous president, Sagar Rabari, said, “A substantial portion of the harvest of winter vegetables has been affected with pests, causing a lot of crop damage, due to continuously cloudy weather for approximately a week leading unseasonal rainfall in November-end.
Winter greens have grown exceedingly expensive due to a lack of availability and high demand during the season. For at least another ten days, prices are projected to remain high.”
Rabari also attributed the spike in retail pricing on higher transportation expenses for vegetables as a result of rising gasoline prices. Due to a scarcity of green veggies, they are currently being imported from neighbouring states.
Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Secretary Deepak Patel stated, “Crop failure was widespread due to unseasonal rainfall. At the same time, due to the winter and wedding season, demand has increased dramatically. As a result, most green vegetable wholesale prices have increased by at least 15% “”There are tables.”
Green vegetable retail prices are approximately twice as high as wholesale pricing in most cases. “Green and other veggies continue to be in high demand. People worry about the higher cost of veggies, yet there is no effect on demand. Transportation expenses have risen dramatically, as has the wholesale price of vegetables “Jignesh Shah, a vegetable dealer from Vejalpur, agreed.
The city’s monthly household budgets have been severely disrupted as tomato prices have risen. Tomatoes have been priced at Rs 80 per kg in the retail market for at least a month, and in other sections of the city, prices have risen to Rs 100 per kilo!
“We are forced to purchase tomatoes from Karnataka and Maharashtra due to unseasonal rains and restricted supply from inside Gujarat. These states, too, have recently been hit by heavy rains brought on by cyclonic conditions, resulting in crop failure. As a result, tomato prices have risen considerably in these areas as well. Prices have risen as a result of increased demand and decreased supply.” APMC-Ahmedabad secretary Deepak Patel remarked.
Tomatoes are a major ingredient in curries, gravies, soups, salads, and a variety of other preparations in both Indian and international cuisines, and restaurateurs from all around Ahmedabad are feeling the pressure.
Unseasonal rains has caused crop damage in Gujarat’s Kadi, Mehsana, and Kalol, and Gandhinagar’s Gandhinagar.
“After two weeks, when fresh harvest begins to come in the market, prices should stabilise,” Patel added.