As LPG crisis hits kitchens, vegetable prices crash ahead of Ugadi

As LPG crisis disrupts demand, Bengaluru sees a sharp fall in vegetable prices ahead of Ugadi festivities.

Driving a surge in festive activities, owing to Ugadi, vegetable prices across Bengaluru have unexpectedly dropped, as the ongoing LPG crisis continues to disrupt demand from bulk buyers such as small eateries and roadside food outlets. 

Traders say that while supply remains high, many restaurants and street-side eateries, key consumers of vegetables like cauliflower, capsicum, potato and tomato, have either reduced purchases or temporarily shut operations due to cooking constraints. This has led to excess supply in the markets during what is typically a peak festive period. As a result, prices have fallen sharply.  

Cauliflower is being sold for as low as ₹12 per kg, while capsicum prices have dropped by nearly 40%. “Production is high, but the buyers have reduced. Small eateries have stopped purchasing over the last three to four days, so we are forced to lower prices,” said Iqbal Hussain, a vendor in Yeshwanthpur. Traders added that vegetables commonly used in bulk by eateries, especially for dishes like gobi manchurian and other Chinese items, have been hit the hardest.  

An official representing a hypermarket chain, however, said the fall in vegetable prices is largely driven by high supply and increased arrivals, with LPG crisis not largely contributing. “The disruption linked to cylinder availability would account for barely 5% of the price drop,” he said, adding that arrivals have gone up significantly with both Ugadi and Ramazan around the corner, leading to a temporary glut in the market.

For leafy vegetables, however, prices have increased despite lower demand, as these items cannot be stored for long, especially during the summer, vendors say. “We are already facing losses due to reduced sales. Leafy greens cannot be stored, so the only way to recover some of the cost is to increase prices,” said Mahalakshmi, a vendor at K.R. Market. 

However, in contrast to vegetables, flower prices have surged significantly ahead of the festival. Button roses and chrysanthemums are currently being sold at ₹420–₹450 per kg, while jasmine and crossandra have touched ₹880–₹1,000 per kg across key markets such as City Market, Malleswaram, Hebbal, and Yeshwanthpur.