Veggies become affordable as strike loses steam

Mumbai: The farmers’ strike seems to have lost its steam just as fast as it picked it. Markets have been receiving healthy share of food supply regularly that in turn has led to prices, especially that of vegetables that had skyrocketed, to normalise to pre-strike rates. However, some markets in the city are still adamant on squeezing out an extra rupee from the Mumbaikar in the name of fresh produce, which the buyer is forced to pay for even though being reluctant do to so.

According to Satyadev Jaiswal, a vendor of exotic greens like parsley, broccoli spinach leaves in Bandra market, the rates of the same had seen a marginal increase but had normalised. However, Rajkumar Vais, another vegetable vendor from Meena market in Dadar said that the rates had skyrocketed and spiralled out of control for some of them. It was purely at the behest of some middlemen who hiked the prices even when there was no need. This hike helped them raise the prices of vegetables even more. “Capsicum had touched Rs 120 per kg while it was Rs 40/kg before the strike. Similarly, coriander leaves that cost Rs 20 a bundle had jumped to Rs 140 a bundle overnight. It was an artificial shortage that spiked the prices,” said Mr Vais.

Another vegetable vendor, Dharmendra Gupta from Wadala market also concurred. “Tomatoes are Rs 40 per kg while ladyfingers, cauliflowers and cucumber are in the range of Rs 40-60 per kg. The rates are a little on the higher side but people are willing to pay a premium for fresh looking vegetables. Hence, in some markets the same vegetables are still selling Rs 10 per kg more than here,” said Mr Gupta.

However, vegetable wholesalers and retailers in the city are wary of the fact that supplies may stop suddenly and prices may spiral. But APMC sources allayed the fears and said that prices would remain unchanged till the sources of supply remained alive and kicking.

According to Wednesday’s statistics, the number of trucks reaching vegetables, fruits and onion and potatoes markets was 1,573 trucks. Sources said that the farmers sending produce was sending two-three day old goods thereby compromising the quality, “It is a phenomenon for a couple of days. It will pass as soon as farmers start bringing fresh produce,” said a dealer from Navi Mumbai APMC.