NEW DELHI: In the heart of one of India’s largest and fastest-growing urban sprawls, the appetite for fresh vegetables never slows.
With Delhi and its adjoining regions witnessing dense population growth and rising incomes, the demand for diverse, high-quality produce has surged across households, eateries, and upscale dining chains alike.
This surge puts mounting pressure on local supply chains, making a steady vegetable supply vital for maintaining both food security and affordability for the national capital’s growing population.
Though vegetables and other essential food items arrive from various states across the country, local-level production remains the backbone of the supply chain, helping cater to the region’s vast and daily needs.
Farming along polluted river
Vegetables, fruits, and even flowers are grown near the Yamuna floodplains using the river’s water—which experts have marked as heavily contaminated—and are supplied to various mandis across the city.
The fertile floodplains of the Yamuna, stretching nearly 22 km from Wazirabad to Palla, have long served as one of the most important sources of fresh vegetables for Delhi.
Expanding along the riverbanks, this green belt has quietly supported a significant portion of the city’s vegetable demand for decades, offering everything from leafy greens to seasonal produce.
Unrecognised yet essential
Often overlooked in urban planning conversations, the Yamuna floodplains are not merely open spaces but thriving agricultural zones cultivated by local residents—many of whom have lived and farmed there for generations. These farmlands, though informal and largely unregulated, have played a crucial role in feeding millions across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) through major wholesale markets and local mandis.
Farmers operating in this stretch have traditionally cultivated a wide variety of crops, including spinach, mustard leaves, radishes, carrots, okra, coriander, and brinjals. Their produce is typically sent to major wholesale mandis across the city, such as Azadpur, Ghazipur, Okhla, Keshopur, Sahibabad, and Noida. The supply of vegetables to these markets forms a vital link in the farm-to-market chain, helping to keep prices competitive and ensuring a steady supply.
Farmer’s perspective
“This land is very fertile because of the river. We can grow crops round the year,” said Joginder Dedha, a farmer who has been cultivating land near Jagatpur village along the Yamuna riverbed for over 10–20 years.
“We do not use heavy machinery or chemicals. Everything is done manually here, and our vegetables are sold the same day they are harvested.”
Estimates suggest that the informal farming community along the river supports thousands of livelihoods. Entire families are engaged in planting, watering, harvesting, and transporting produce. Women and children contribute by sorting vegetables and preparing them for sale.
This micro-economy, built over decades, has functioned without formal recognition or government assistance, yet continues to play a crucial role in national capital’s food ecosystem.
Employment & affordability
Besides agriculture, the floodplains also provide employment to countless daily wage workers and small-scale vendors who rely on this supply to run their businesses. Vegetables grown here are not only fresher but often more affordable than those transported from outside the city, helping to control food inflation in Delhi and NCR.
Legal & environmental stress
Despite their importance, the agricultural activities on the floodplains are often viewed as illegal encroachments by the authorities. Technically, the land is government-owned and classified as a sensitive ecological zone. In recent years, there has been increasing pressure from various quarters to remove human activity from these areas to protect the river’s ecology and reduce the risk of urban flooding.
However, farmers argue that their traditional cultivation methods are low-impact and environmentally sustainable. Many avoid using chemical fertilizers or motorized equipment, depending instead on age-old practices and manual labor. Environmental activists have also emphasised the need for a balanced approach—one that addresses environmental concerns while protecting the livelihoods of those who depend on the land.
Call for recognition
“The farmers of the Yamuna floodplains have been feeding the city for decades. They deserve recognition, not eviction,” said Mahender Singh, a farmer engaged in cultivation near the ITO area.
“Rather than demolishing our homes and fields, the government should consider integrating us into the city’s agricultural policy in a sustainable way,” he added.
However, not all experts support continued farming on the floodplains. Akash Vashishta, a Delhi-NCR based environmental activist, warned that vegetables grown in the Yamuna floodplains pose serious health risks due to the high levels of pollution in the river water used for irrigation.
“The Yamuna River is heavily contaminated with industrial waste, sewage, and toxic chemicals, which are absorbed by crops. These pollutants include heavy metals like lead, mercury, and arsenic, which can accumulate in the body over time and lead to chronic illnesses such as cancer, kidney damage, and neurological disorders. Consuming such contaminated vegetables exposes people to these toxins, especially vulnerable groups like children and the elderly. Regular consumption poses a long-term public health threat in the region,” said Vashishta.
Manoj Kumar, a Delhi-Noida based social and environmental activist, echoed these concerns. He pointed out that the Yamuna floodplains, once fertile grounds supporting diverse agriculture, now face significant challenges due to encroachment, pollution, and ecological degradation.
“Pollution is another pressing issue in the region. Various studies and reports have found high levels of heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and nickel in the soil and water, raising concerns about the safety of produce grown in these areas. While some farmers use groundwater for irrigation, the overall contamination poses health risks to consumers,” Kumar said.
As debates around ecology, legality, and livelihood continue, the significance of the Yamuna floodplains in the city’s vegetable supply chain remains undeniable. It is a silent yet critical contribution—one that sustains millions, often unnoticed, but essential.