Relief for Kolkata kitchen budgets as winter vegetable prices drop
Times of India | 30 December 2024
12 Kolkata: With the arrival of Bengal's winter vegetables in Kolkata's markets, consumers are breathing a sigh of relief as prices have cooled significantly. The delay in the crop cycle, caused by erratic weather conditions, had earlier resulted in late arrivals, pushing the city to rely on costlier imports from neighbouring states. The situation has now reversed, bringing affordability back to kitchens.
Kamal De, president, West Bengal Vendors' Association said, "Our dependence on vegetables from other states has ended as Bengal's produce is flooding the market, leading to price reductions. This week's fall in prices was remarkable."
Dec saw a significant fluctuation in vegetable prices as Bengal's winter harvest gradually replaced costlier imports from other states. Brinjal was priced at Rs 90-100 per kg on Dec 8 but dropped to Rs 80 by Dec 15, Rs 60-70 by Dec 22, and Rs 40-45 by Dec 29. Carrots started at Rs 80 on Dec 8, dropping to Rs 60 by Dec 15, Rs 50-60 by Dec 22, and hitting Rs 40 per kg on Dec 29. Flat beans saw prices decline from Rs 100 per kg on Dec 8 to Rs 30 by the last week of Dec. Tomatoes, priced at Rs 80-90 per kg on Dec 8, gradually fell to Rs 40-50 by the end of Dec. Cauliflower started at Rs 60 on Dec 8 and dropped to Rs15 per kg by Dec 29. Cabbage dropping from Rs 50-60 on Dec 8 to Rs 20-25 by the month's close, said Arun Gupta, a vegetable retailer at Sealdah Market.
Green chillies, bitter gourd, and parwal remained relatively steady, with green chillies starting at Rs 120 per kg on Dec 8 and remaining at Rs 80 from Dec 15 through 29. Bitter gourd and parwal hovered between Rs 60-80 throughout Dec.
This trend reflects the growing availability of Bengal's winter produce, which led to a steady cooling of prices, providing relief to consumers while underscoring the impact of delayed crop cycles earlier in the season. Even premium items, like onions and potatoes, saw price stabilisation. Freshly harvested small potatoes, like Pokhraj, are available at Rs 25 per kg, while older varieties like Jyoti are priced around Rs 30. Onions range from Rs 40-50 per kg, depending on size.
Nilesh Saha, a trader at Lake Market, said, "Vegetables are now significantly cheaper. The supply is abundant, making further price hikes unlikely." Gourav Dasgupta, a schoolteacher from Parnashree, said, "Our kitchen budget was in chaos. We can finally enjoy salads again, which were missing for most of Dec. Butthe govt must address middlemen exploiting the retail market."
Vendors said prices can't fall further. "If vegetables get cheaper, farme-rs will struggle," said De.
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