Now Reading: Coriander prices cross Rs 200/kg after rains hit supply
-
01
Coriander prices cross Rs 200/kg after rains hit supply
Fresh coriander, long given away free by vegetable vendors, now costs over Rs 200 per kg in retail markets after heavy rainfall disrupted supplies from Nashik, a key source for northern India.…
The Story in Brief
Fresh coriander, long given away free by vegetable vendors, now costs over Rs 200 per kg in retail markets after heavy rainfall disrupted supplies from Nashik, a key source for northern India. At Delhi's Azadpur mandi, wholesale prices hit Rs 175 per kg, and retail rates touched Rs 220-230 earlier this week, according to traders quoted by the Times of India. A month ago, prices in Nashik were already near Rs 130 per kg as quality produce became scarce.
The Economic Times reports that heavy rain in late July damaged standing crops and disrupted transport, making it hard to find coriander that can survive the long journey to Delhi. Supplies from Karnataka, Latur, and Bengaluru have also fallen. Coriander's price spike comes as India's food inflation rose to 5.52% in July, with ginger (83.62% year-on-year), garlic (35.36%), and onion (22.54%) also seeing sharp increases.
The Indian Opinion
The narrative that 'dhaniya is no longer free' makes for a catchy headline, but it obscures a more worrying pattern. The real story is not about a garnish, it is about an erratic monsoon that is hitting perishable crops hardest while rice and pulses also heat up. The RBI has flagged uneven rainfall as a risk to food prices. The test for policymakers is not whether coriander returns to being a freebie, but whether the government can manage supplies of staples like rice and tur dal before El Niño tightens its grip.
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, economictimes.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
