Vashi APMC Market Overflow: Tomatoes, Vegetables Witness Drastic Price Cuts

Wholesale tomato prices in the APMC market, Vashi, plummeted to as low as Rs five to 10 per kilogram on Saturday, marking a sharp decline from previous months, according to a Hindustan Times (HT) report. Other vegetables have also seen significant price drops, and these low prices are expected to persist until February. However, the price reduction in retail markets has not kept pace, as retailers continue to recover their earlier purchase costs.

Since December, wholesale tomato prices have fallen by an astounding 70-80 per cent. In December, tomatoes were priced at Rs 40 per kilogram, which decreased to Rs 15-20 per kilogram last week, before reaching Rs five to 10 per kilogram this Saturday. Shankar Pingle, APMC Director (Vegetable), attributed this steep drop to an increase in vegetable supplies due to the winter season, leading to an average 50% price reduction compared to last month.

Photo Credit: PTI

Mr Pingle explained that new tomato stocks from states such as Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh have significantly boosted supply. "This surge in availability has caused prices to drop sharply. Farmers are now selling tomatoes for Rs five to Rs 10 or whatever they can get since the produce is perishable and cannot be stored for long. With more stock expected to arrive, this trend is likely to continue," he noted, as per the HT report.

Other vegetables have also experienced a similar trend. Prakash Patil, a wholesaler, highlighted the abundance of crops such as lady's finger, capsicum, cabbage, green peas, cauliflower, brinjal, French beans, and bitter gourd in the market. "The cold weather has favoured vegetable production, and additional supplies from Bengaluru, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh have ensured that prices remain low. This situation is likely to persist until February," Patil said, according to the same report.

However, retail markets are yet to fully reflect these price cuts. Tomatoes in retail outlets have only seen a 40 per cent reduction, dropping from ₹70 per kilogram last month to Rs 40 per kilogram. Similar trends apply to other vegetables. Retailers explained that the slower reduction is due to the need to recover costs on older, higher-priced stock.

"We still have stock purchased at higher prices, and we need to recover our costs before passing on the full benefit to consumers," said Rajesh Gupta, a retailer in Vashi. He added, "Festivals like Makar Sankranti may briefly affect prices, but overall, prices have been low for a while now and are likely to remain stable for at least another month."

With abundant supply and favourable weather conditions, wholesale prices are expected to stay low, benefiting both consumers and businesses in the coming weeks.