Kolkata: Vegetable prices shoot through the roof as rain damages crops

KOLKATA: After a brief respite, vegetable prices are on an upswing across retail markets again with a yawning demand-supply gap due to a massive damage to standing crops caused by rain.
On Friday, most vegetable prices shot up by Rs 20-Rs 30 a kg compared to what they were at the beginning of the week, when the supply line was still robust despite heavy rain. “The supply was being largely sustained by harvested crops. But after the torrential rain, crops in south Bengal have been damaged, creating a supply line issue,” said Kamal De, president of the Bengal Vendors’ Association.
The supply could be hit further if the rain continued, said traders. “Most of the farmers are making distress sale of their produce from the fields. Some of these are being brought to the city and are being sold at a premium, “ added De.
“Prices of vegetables have gone up again. The price of LPG is at an all-time high. Prices of mustard oil and spices have kept soaring without an interruption. The kitchen budget is literally on fire. Coming to the market is no more a pleasure but a nightmare. We inevitably burn a big hole in our pockets, “ said Anirban Guha, a private insurance company employee.
“The quality of the produce is not really good as some of the vegetables hitting the markets were retrieved from inundated fields. They cannot be stored for long,” said Tarun Das, a retailer at Jadubabur Bazar.
“Vegetables like parwal (pointed gourd), which was selling at Rs 35-Rs 40 a kg, is now selling at Rs 70,” said Gour Saha, a wholesaler at Kidderpore market. “Bitter gourd, which was selling at Rs 40 a kg, is now selling at Rs 60,” he added.
“A vast stretch of farm fields across Baruipur, Canning, Bongaon, Basirhat, Arambag and Dankuni — from where we get the supply of vegetables to our wholesale and retail markets — are still under water and vegetables are rotting in the field. “The unusually heavy rain in a very short span of time took a huge toll of standing crops,” said Gautam Sinha, a wholesaler at Jinjira bazar.