Decoding the mystery behind costly vegetables in Delhi this winter

New Delhi: Skyrocketing prices of vegetables have left Delhi residents with a bitter aftertaste this winter. After pollution wrecked mayhem with respiratory systems, a burden on kitchen budgeting is what locals are buckling up for.

Almost every vegetable across markets in Delhi has seen a hike in prices in the last few days. While tomatoes and onions' prices have almost doubled, several other common vegetables too are now coming at a selling rate much higher than the rates seen last week of October.

Vegetables	Oct 25 price (per kilo)	Nov 25 price (per kilo)
Onions	40/-	70/-
Tomatoes	35/-	75/-
Bhindi	50/-	60-
Bottle Gourd (Lauki)	40/-	60/-

But what has caused the prices to increase in just a matter of a few weeks?

Most of the vegetables supplied to Delhi and adjoining areas come from other states. Heavy rainfall in some of these states has reportedly had a direct impact on onions and tomatoes - leading to a shortfall in supply and, therefore, a spike in their prices. "Onions were usually supplied here from Karnataka but heavy rainfall there has resulted in lesser procurement this time around," a wholesaler at Delhi's Okhla Mandi told Zee News. "We expect the prices to remain high for about a month after which rates will begin coming down gradually because of new crop cycle."

Problems of a weak supply chain has been compounded by an even weaker storage system which means while demand remains on expected lines, wholesalers and sellers have not been able to procure enough.

Interestingly, the impact of weak demand has not just caused prices to shoot up in the National Capital Region but also in other major cities like Mumbai and Chandigarh.