Rain blow on crops disrupts veggie supply, prices stay above 50/kg in Kolkata
Times of India | 10 July 2025
Kolkata: With continuous and heavy rain in July — one of the wettest months in recent memory — causing extensive damage to standing crops and disruption of the supply chain from farms, the vegetable prices in Kolkata spiralled. This has left both consumers and farmers in distress. Retail prices shot up dramatically, with most vegetables now selling at Rs 50 or more per kg, turning everyday staples into near-luxury items.
Among the worst-hit is brinjal (eggplant), a household essential that now sells for Rs 150 to Rs 175 per kg in several city markets — more than double its price just a week ago. Pointed gourd (parwal), previously sold at Rs 30 – Rs 40 per kg, is now retailing at Rs 80 per kg. Green chillies, especially those sourced from Beldanga, are commanding a staggering Rs 200 per kg.
Farmers say the damage is not just immediate but long-term. "The standing crops are either dead or dying. Once the rain stops and the sun shines, they'll have to be uprooted," said Anmal Mollah, a farmer from Bhangar block I. "The new crop will take time to yield. That means a gap in production, and naturally, a demand-supply mismatch. Prices will rise further," he cautioned.
"The cycle of stable pricing got broken," said a wholesaler and member of the West Bengal Vendors' Association. "With local supply disrupted, we are becoming dependent on vegetables from distant regions — even other states. That brings in additional transportation costs. Prices will keep rising, likely till the Puja season," he said.
Kamal Dey, president of the West Bengal Vendors' Association, blamed relentless rainfall for the price surge. "The problem is severe in low-lying areas where fields are submerged. However, the kind of spike we're seeing in retail pricing is excessive. It doesn't reflect the price at which vendors are buying from wholesale markets," he noted, adding that the association will soon launch a market inspection to check unfair profiteering.
Consumers, especially the middle class, are finding it increasingly difficult to manage household expenses. "We're buying fewer vegetables now. They don't last in the fridge, and it's a double blow for us," said Anindita Basak, a schoolteacher from Chetla, as she stressed upon the inferior quality of vegetables. Amarendra Roy, a doctor from Behala, demanded proper regulation of the prices. Many in the trade believe the administration needs to step in. "Traders are buying in bulk and grading the stock into three tiers — good, better, best — selling them at different price points to maximise profit," said a vendor in Maniktala.
"This ‘lot system' pricing needs closer scrutiny," he added. Even though there was a slight dip in prices on July 9, it may swing up steadily, said market insiders.