Green chili prices skyrocket in Mumbai, reach ₹125-150/kg
What's the story
Mumbai's wholesale and retail markets are seeing a significant three-fold surge in the price of green chili, which is now selling at ₹125-150/kg.
Two reasons have been highlighted for the spike: poor stock arrivals and increasing temperatures.
The hike has been noted for both high-quality and low-quality varieties of green chili; the latter's wholesale price at Turbhe APMC market has shot up from ₹20-30/kg to ₹45/kg in just a week.
Retail impact
Retailers respond to faster stock perishability
Pradeep Sawant, a Vashi-based retailer, said the stock was perishing at an unprecedented rate. To compensate for the losses, retailers have been forced to significantly increase prices.
"Unlike other vegetables, people cannot really reduce the purchase of chili as it is anyway not consumed in large quantities and hence the demand remains the same," Sawant explained.
He added consumers have no choice but to buy at these prices.
Supply chain challenges
Wholesalers cite reduced arrivals and quality decline
Wholesaler Ram Yadav said the supply of green chilies has dropped by almost 40% because of lower production.
"We are getting chili stock from Nagpur, Gujarat, Palghar, Karnataka, etc., and the arrivals have reduced by almost 40% as production has fallen," he said.
Yadav also pointed out how increasing temperatures are leading to severe quality deterioration in the stock coming in.