No more free mirchi and dhaniya as vegetable prices soar due to heatwave and lack of rains

In recent weeks, northern India has faced a significant surge in vegetable prices, primarily due to the prolonged heatwave and the lack of pre-monsoon rainfall affecting crop yields.

Wholesale traders in the Delhi-NCR region have reported substantial price increases resulting from a lower-than-expected supply of vegetables.

A report by The Times of India says that the wholesale prices of potatoes at Gurgaon's Khandsa market rose to 20-25 rupees per kg on Monday, nearly doubling from 12-20 rupees a few weeks earlier. Retail prices followed suit, with potatoes being sold to consumers for 40-50 rupees per kg.

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Similarly, onions and tomatoes experienced hikes, with customer prices reaching 50-60 rupees per kilogram after an increase of 20-30 rupees.The spike in prices has also extended to other vegetables.

Capsicum prices, for example, reached a whopping 180 rupees per kg from 50 rupees, garlic now costs 180 rupees per kg up from 90 rupees. Cucumber prices doubled to 60 rupees per kg.

Vendors have stopped offering complimentary coriander and green chilies, with coriander now at 300 rupees per kg, up from 100 rupees and green chilies at 160 rupees per kg.

In southern India, vegetable prices are also on the rise. Tomato prices doubled from 30 to 64 rupees within a month in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, with prices in Kottayam reaching 100 rupees per kg.

Onions and beans increased by 5-10 rupees a kg, with prices rising from 15 to 25 rupees. While brinjal prices climbed from 25 to 40 rupees.