Veggie prices shoot through roof as storms wreak havoc on farms

KOLKATA: Kolkatans may have been thanking thunderstorms for keeping the mercury in check but the impact has not remained limited to weather conditions. Squalls — and hailstorms at many places — have wrecked havoc on plants and the ripple effect is being felt at markets, where vegetable prices are burning holes in the pocket. Worse, the rise may continue for a few more days till the weather stabilises.



Pointed gourd (parwal), for example, sells at Rs 6-Rs 7 a kg around this time of the year. But its retail price is now hovering around Rs 50-60 a kg. Brinjal’s price dipped below Rs 20 a kg in April last year but vendors are charging Rs 90 a kg now. “Blame it on the erratic weather. Hailstorms have devastated young plants, leaving a yawning gap between the demand and the supply,” said Kamal Dey, the president of West Bengal Wholesale Vendors’ Association. He is also the member of the government-appointed task force for controlling prices of perishable commodities.

April is known to be the cruellest month because of punishing weather conditions. But the conditions are ideal for vegetables. “Vertical sunrays and irrigated water create an ideal situation for the growth of vegetables. But the rain left us devastated. The loss is mounting every day,” said Samir Jana, who grows vegetables at his Palta farm in South 24 Parganas. According to Jana, the season has also shrinked significantly, making farmers confused over the time of sowing seeds.

Dey, however, alleged that the retailers are taking advantage of the situation. “The retail price is more than 100% of wholesale prices. If the retailers could control their greed, middle-class buyers would have been relieved. But that is not happening,” he said. Enforcement department sources admitted that the vigil on market prices could not maintained because of the election.

Brinjal farming received major setback with an unprecedented attack by pests. These pests generally collect honey from mango blossom. But after the rain, all these pests have attacked brinjal plants. So, the vegetables are coming to market with pests in it. Farmers are now making distress sale, but retailers are selling with 100% profit.

On Friday, retired bank employee Rathin Ghosh Dastidar was exasperated on his way back from the market. “Days are not far when we will go to market with bagful of money to bring home pocketful of vegetables. Prices are shooting through the roof and there is no mechanism to keep them in check,” he said.