"Maa, it has been a long time since you prepared a Baingan ka Bharta (brinjal mash). Why don’t we have it today,” 14-year-old Sakshi lovingly asked her mother who works as a housemaid in a posh Noida highrise.
The mother, Laxmi, also affectionately responded and promised to cook the delicacy for dinner after returning from work.
The time was around 7 pm when Laxmi, after finishing her work, was returning home. Midway, she stumbled upon a vegetable vendor to buy brinjals.
“Bhaiya, yeh baingan kaise diye (What is the price of the brinjal),” she asked, picking up a round-shaped, purple-cum-violet-coloured brinjal while her eyes closely observed it for any perished parts or minute holes.
“100 ke diye hai. Aapko 90 ka lag jayega (Have been selling it for Rs 100 but will give you in Rs 90),” the vegetable vendor’s reply was enough to shock Laxmi as she was checking the small 4”X4” pocket purse in which she had carefully squirrelled away five notes of Rs 10 each.
After what seemed like a thorough pleading-cum-negotiation, she returned home with half a kilogram of brinjals and a Rs 10 note. Walking back home, she kept wondering about the high prices of vegetables in the market and her struggles to meet the daily requirements of bread and butter.
Laxmi isn’t the only sufferer. Off-late vegetable prices soared in the national capital and its satellite towns making it difficult for the people, especially the poor ones, to sustain with their daily or monthly wages.
As per experts, the prime reason is being attributed to the long spell of rain due to which the prices of vegetables fluctuate on a daily basis.
“Yesterday, there was no rain, and the prices have subsequently slashed. A day before that it was raining, hence the prices went up,” Sohan Kumar, a capsicum trader at Ghazipur Mandi, told The New Indian Express.
At the Ghazipur Mandi, which is one of the largest wholesale vegetable markets in the city and caters to the vendors of northeast and east Delhi along with some areas of Ghaziabad and Noida, the vegetables are mostly brought from Yamuna Khadar and adjacent districts of Uttar Pradesh.
A farmer, who had brought his produce from Yamuna Khadar, said that the extended monsoon season has multiple times destroyed his crops. Moreover, the harvested crops needed to be sold off immediately as they rot within no time.
For the past couple of months, the city residents have been reeling from the high prices of veggies following which the government stepped in and initiated the sale of onions at a subsidised rate of Rs 35 per kg through mobile vans and outlets of the National Cooperative of Consumer’s Federation (NCCF) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED).
The government decided to increase the number of subsidised onions and expand distribution channels to include e-commerce platforms, Kendriya Bhandar outlets, and Mother Dairy’s SAFAL stores. The government also initiated wholesale disposal of onion in major cities which has already commenced in Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai, with plans to extend to Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Kolkata, and eventually all state capitals.
The current prices of onion range from Rs 35 to Rs 50 at different stores or vendors in the city. Another vegetable trader Mohan Singh said not all prices of vegetables have soared but those which are perishable and cannot be stored for long periods are sold at higher costs.
However, some say that it is not just the inclement weather but a spike in transportation costs and shortage of labour that have too contributed to the hike in the prices of seasonal vegetables in the capital.
It is pertinent to mention here that the vegetables whose prices have skyrocketed include cauliflower, capsicum, peas, spinach etc -- all cost at least more than Rs 100 per kilogram.
Rains and price rise
The soaring prices are a direct result of supply disruptions caused by this year’s heavy monsoon. “The supply chain for fresh vegetables is too long. In addition, most of these vegetables are easily perishable and difficult to store,” said Puneet Singh Thind, an agricultural expert who has worked with various Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO).
According to Thind, these occasional price rises are a routine issue and happen every monsoon. However, the larger issue is that most of this increased margin does not go to the farmers, but to aggregators and middlemen. “Our experience with large corporate buyers has been quite bad. They fight for each and every penny and leave as little as possible for the producers,” he pointed out.
Moreover, horticulture crops are not covered by the government’s Minimum Support Price (MSP) leaving farmers who produce them vulnerable to large buyers.
“People only care about vegetable prices when it becomes too high for consumers and the media makes a big fuss about it. The government also steps in to protect consumers. The rest of the time, farmers are barely getting by and no one seems to care,” Thind said.
He added, “The government needs to bring in clean-sweep reforms and figure out a way to connect consumers directly to the producers. This will greatly benefit both parties.”
Spiralling vegetable costs force families to cut back on essentials
Rama Devi, a 40-year-old domestic help from Ghaziabad, is feeling the crushing weight of inflation both at work and at home. “I used to save some money by eating lunch from the leftovers at one of my employers’ houses. She knew I did, and never said a word. But for the past month, there’s barely any food left over for me. And even when there is, it’s just too little to make a meal.”
“At home, things are even worse. Green vegetables have vanished from our plates because they’re simply too expensive now. We’ve had to cut back on so many things. Egg and chicken curry used to be a small treat for my family every week, but we haven’t made it even once in the last two weeks. It needs so much oil, onions—ingredients we just can’t afford anymore,” she explained, her voice heavy with frustration.
Rama’s story echoes the struggles of many low-income households who are being forced to make painful sacrifices in their daily lives, as inflation in vegetables’ prices continues to drive up the cost of essentials.
The rise in vegetable prices is hitting all strata hard, especially in thelower and middle-income groups, where the cost of food is increasing faster than the household incomes, leading to changes in their shopping habits.
Staple vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, and potatoes, which form the core of Indian kitchens, have witnessed steep price hikes. People while shopping face tough choices between purchasing essential groceries or cutting back on other expenses.
Tanu Tanwar, a homemaker from Sant Nagar in East of Kailash, describes how the relentless surge in vegetable prices has affected even the simplest of joys, like her morning “masala” chai.
“In our kitchen, potatoes, onions, and tomatoes are indispensable. My son loves potatoes, so no matter how high the prices climb, we still have to buy them. But it’s coming at a heavy cost. We’ve had to drastically cut down on ghee, butter, and dry fruits. I used to buy fresh vegetables every day, but now I can only afford them once or twice a week.”
“Even my masala chai has lost its soul. The elaichi (cardamom) and dalchini (cinnamon) I used to add are now luxuries we can’t afford. Whole spices have become so expensive that I’ve had to cut down their use in everyday meals,” she added.
With anxiety reflecting in her tone, Tanu said the government must step in soon—before it gets even worse.
However, according to vegetable traders, a respite is in the offing for consumers with the arrival of Navratri. “With Navratri approaching, we’re expecting a sharp drop in onion and garlic prices, as their demand significantly decreases during the fasting season,” said Vijay Lal from Sihani Village Mandi, Ghaziabad.
Convenience wins?
Just a few days ago, a YouTube video on social media mocked the government over the higher prices of coriander.
The woman Youtuber claimed that she bought coriander from an online grocery delivery company and got capsicum free of cost, a thing which she said was exactly the opposite during the previous governments’ rule. Notably, the prices of coriander have skyrocketed in the city with some e-commerce platforms selling them at close to Rs 900 per kg.
In recent years, the shift towards online grocery shopping has become more pronounced. With platforms like Otipy, Blinkit, Zepto, and others rising in popularity, it is clear that most people value convenience over the traditional experience of visiting local markets. So, why are consumers increasingly opting for these apps despite the cost difference?
The primary draw for the users is the sheer convenience. With just a few taps on their smartphones, groceries are delivered to their doorstep in under an hour. Unlike traditional shopping, where time is spent commuting to the market, comparing prices, and standing in queues, grocery apps solve this issue by offering doorstep delivery with just a few clicks. Otipy, Blinkit, and Zepto promise delivery times ranging from 10 to 30 minutes in many urban centres, making it easier for consumers to get what they need without disrupting their day.
The rising number of people working long hours or from home also contributes to the popularity of these services. For many, avoiding the hassle of physically going to a market is worth the price difference.
“Why would I spend an hour shopping for groceries when I can get them delivered within 10 minutes while finishing up my work at home?” said Shivani Tyagi, a 24-year-old working professional in Noida.
However, one cannot ignore that these conveniences come at a cost. Items sold on these platforms are often priced higher than in local retail markets. For instance, a kilogram of onion that cost Rs 35 at the Safal store in Noida was priced at Rs 74 on Blinkit on Sunday. The additional cost stems from delivery charges, logistics, and the apps’ commissions.
Still, for many consumers, the benefits outweigh the price differences. Another critical factor driving this trend is the perception of quality. Many consumers believe that the products available on these apps are more carefully curated, fresher, and come from trusted sources.
“These apps offer a vast selection of products, from fresh vegetables to exotic fruits and organic foods, all available at the touch of a button. Many local markets, although rich in variety, don’t always have specialised or premium products readily available. Moreover, many of these apps feature real-time updates on product availability, ensuring consumers are not met with the frustration of out-of-stock items,” said Shivani.
‘Need regulation’
Dushyant Nagar, a farmers’ rights activist, said that the government has lost its control over hoarders as well as the retail market and that is the reason prices of food items have witnessed a manifold increase. Hoarding at mandis (wholesale fruits and vegetables market) by big traders and monopoly of retailers are common practices these days and the government should focus on addressing these two issues. Thirdly, improper supply from the source is also a major cause of price rises in local markets across the region.
“The government has failed to control prices of essential items and the common men are reeling severely. Hoarding should be checked first, retailers should be tightened while a close eye should be kept on e-commerce portals which increase prices on all important occasions. Isn’t it the responsibility of the government to check such practices to provide relief to consumers who have been at a receiving end,” Nagar said.
Satyedar Dedha, a trader from Azadpur Mandi, said that prices are shooting up due to poor control over the retail market. The whole markets receive food items and supply accordingly by putting little margin but the retailers are selling the same items at higher prices, Dedha revealed.
“Monopolistic behaviour of retailers/vendors should be checked at ground level. They purchase items at a particular rate but sell them at different prices depending on localities,” he added.
Sandeep Bhati, a wholesale trader from Shahibad mandi, mentioned that prices of vegetables and other essential food products usually go up during festival seasons. “We cannot say that any specific reason is responsible for the price hike. It may be witnessed during festive seasons as demand also goes up. Once supply will be normal, prices will automatically come down,” he said.
Price hike reasons
To counter the price hike, the government decided to increase the number of subsidised onions and expand distribution channels to include e-commerce plat-forms and some outlets like Kendriya Bhandar and Mother Dairy’s SAFAL
A vegetable trader, Mohan Singh, said not all prices of vegetables have soared but those which are perishable and cannot be stored for long periods are sold at higher costs
However, some say that it is not just the inclement weather but a spike in transportation costs and shortage of labour that have too contributed to the hike in the prices of seasonal vegetables in the capital
An expert said most of this increased margin does not go to the farmers, but to aggregators and middlemen. Moreover, horticulture crops are not covered by the MSP leaving farmers who produce them vulnerable to large buyers
Online grocery shopping
A woman Youtuber claimed that she bought coriander from an online grocery delivery company and got capsicum free of cost, a thing which she said was exactly the opposite during the previous governments
In recent years, the shift towards online grocery shopping has become more pronounced. With platforms like Blinkit rising in popularity, it is clear that most people value convenience over the traditional experience of visiting local markets
Dushyant Nagar, a farmers’ rights activist, said that the government has lost its control over hoarders as well as the retail market and that is the reason prices of food items have witnessed a manifold increase
An Azadpur Mandi trader said prices are shooting up due to poor control over the retail market. The whole markets receive food items and supply accordingly by putting little margin but the retailers are selling the same items at higher prices