Excessive heat, monsoon showers send vegetable prices soaring in Hyderabad

Monsoon showers drive up vegetable prices in Hyderabad, impacting tomato, onion and potato costs in local markets.

With the first showers of monsoon, vegetable prices are on an upward march in Hyderabad. On June 13 (Thursday), grade II variety tomato was being sold for ₹46-₹50 a kg in the city.

Whereas this is about the same price witnessed in June 2023, onion and potato were being sold for twice their prices seen during the same time last year. In June 2023, onion was sold for ₹20 a kg, while potato was priced at ₹25 a kg. Now, however, onion is priced at ₹45-₹50 a kg, while potato is being sold for ₹40 a kg.

“Hyderabad gets tomatoes from Madanapalle in Andhra Pradesh and Bengaluru in Karnataka and the surrounding areas. However, this year, too, daytime temperature was high in those areas. Instead of the usual 35° Celsius, the temperature reached 38°-40° Celsius, impacting the harvest,” says Mahipal Reddy, a farmer from Medak who created a buzz last year by making ₹2 crore from his tomato harvest. “I have begun harvesting my crop,” added Mr. Mahipal.

“These are second grade tomatoes, and that is why they are priced cheaper at ₹50. Grade I tomato is being sold for ₹80 a kg,” said Mohammed Azam, who was selling the kitchen stapple from a small goods carrier at Somajiguda. The price has gone up because the rain damaged the crop, said the hawker, who purchased his goods from the Gudimalkapur market.

Notably, vegetable arrivals to Vanasthalipuram Rythu Bazaar have dropped from 126 tonnes in May to 81 tonnes in June.

Damage to standing crop in the surrounding areas of Vikarabad, Medak and Siddipet is said to be the reason for the spike in vegetable prices. A similar surge in the price of tomatoes last year saw many farmers raking in big money.

“This rise in vegetable prices is seasonal. The onset of monsoon sends the prices up, and we will see higher prices till the end of July when the prices will again start coming down once the harvest improves,” says Ketha Venkateswar Rao at the Gudimalkapur Market.