The recent rains may have brought some respite from the scorching heat, but temperatures are rising in Gujarat’s kitchens. Prices of daily staples – onions, tomatoes and potatoes have gone up by 75-300% compared to the cost of these vegetables in May-June. 

“Tomatoes, potatoes, and onions are our basic ingredients. We are a family of 10, being supported by the earnings of just two people,” says Madhu Thakor, who works as a domestic help, “We have now shifted to pulses as we cannot afford vegetables.”

Makarba, where Madhu lives, has seen tomatoes retail at a steep ₹120 per kilogram recently. Just a few weeks ago, you could get a kilo for ₹40–50 from your favourite street vendor. 

In Jamalpur, tomatoes now wholesale at ₹80 a kg. 

At the Agriculture Produce Market Corporation (APMC) in Vasna, potatoes sell for ₹35 per kg, onions for ₹45 per kg, and garlic for ₹250 per kg. 

For context, a vendor in Makarba told Gujarat Samachar Digital that he was selling potatoes and onions for ₹20–₹30 per kg this past summer. 

Garlic now retails at ₹300 per kg. 

According to the price monitoring division (PMD) of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, on July 7, the average retail price of tomatoes was ₹59.87 per kg, more than 70% up from ₹35 a month earlier. 

The price surge isn’t limited to these staples. Leafy greens have also seen dramatic increases, with fenugreek (methi) retailing at ₹150 per kg, up from its usual ₹30–40. Coriander (dhaniya), a common garnish, now retails for ₹100 per kg retail, prompting vendors to abandon the tradition of offering it free with purchases.

Monsoon surge? 

Several factors contribute to this vegetable crisis and the ongoing monsoon season is partly to blame. Excessive rain in Himachal Pradesh has damaged roads, and delayed arrivals of vegetable imports from Kerala and Karnataka.

“The tomatoes we get here come from Karnataka. Supply has been short because summer was rough this year,” explains Pradeep Chauhan, taking a break from choosing the produce he will later sell on his online platform. “Supply is lower than demand, and transportation costs vendors money.”

We are in the narrow lane beneath the Ashok Bhatt flyover in Jamalpur, which acts as a middle ground between the wholesale APMC market and retailers. Buyers – traders, homemakers, and retailers alike – have trained themselves to focus more on the produce than on the vendors who compete with the buzzing of flies and the roar of traffic to pitch their wares. 

“The eastern part of the city, where I live, is believed to be less expensive. But we paid ₹120 for a kg of tomatoes. Almost every vegetable costs at least ₹40 for 250 g, which wreaks havoc with our budget. Then again, what option do we have?” moaned one shopper, asking not to be named.

Rippling repercussions 

The impact extends beyond individual households. According to a report by the global analytics company CRISIL, the cost of a home-cooked vegetarian thali rose by 10% year-on-year in June 2024. The report, published earlier this month, attributes this increase primarily to the surge in prices of tomatoes (30%), onions (46%), and potatoes (59%).

“Tomatoes, onions and potatoes have been the key contributors to this rise as adverse weather conditions have impacted their supply,” said Pushan Sharma, Director-Research, CRISIL Market Intelligence and Analytics.

As Ahmedabad moves deeper into the monsoon season, both residents and traders will be hoping for some relief in the coming weeks. Until then, the humble vegetable remains a premium commodity.

Also read:

India’s fresh fruit exports surge 29% , footprint spreads to 111 countries

Vegetable price rise goes down the food-chain; food outlets affected