Steep Fall in Vegetable Prices Causing Distress to Farmers: Causes and Remedies
Nature of the Problem
Most vegetables—especially leafy greens and fresh varieties—are highly perishable, unlike relatively stable crops like onions, potatoes, and other tubers. Without proper cold storage and logistics infrastructure, these fragile vegetables often deteriorate before reaching consumers, adding pressure to sell quickly at any available price.
Recent Price Trends
Since April, there has been a noticeable price crash:
Cauliflower: Dropped from ₹60–₹70 to around ₹27 per piece
Broccoli: Reduced from ₹90–₹100 to ₹40 per piece
Tomatoes: Fell from ₹40–₹50 to ₹15 per kg
Onions: Down from ₹60–₹70 to ₹39 per kg
Potatoes (Ooty variety): Slashed from ₹80–₹90 to ₹39 per kg
Carrots: Came down from consistently above ₹80 to ₹55
Brinjal, Bitter Gourd, and others: Almost halved in price from previous rates of ₹70–₹80
Even fruits, barring a few exceptions like apples, sweet lime, and pineapples, have seen price corrections. While the seasonal nature of mangoes could explain their price fall, banana prices have remained steady across all varieties.
Underlying Causes
Several factors may have contributed to this situation:
Overproduction in certain regions without adequate market linkage
Inadequate cold storage facilities, leading to forced distress sales
Poor demand forecasting and distribution
World trade tariff fluctuations affecting import-export balance
Unseasonal weather patterns, including unexpected rains and heatwaves
Transportation issues and bottlenecks post-harvest
Alarming Signs
In Bellary, Karnataka, the crisis has reached such an extent that some onion farmers, unable to recover even basic costs, have dumped their produce on the streets in protest and despair.
Possible Remedies
Improved cold chain infrastructure across rural hubs
Better price forecasting and real-time market data for farmers
Strengthening Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to negotiate better rates
Government buffer stock mechanisms and Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for select perishables
Encouraging food processing units in surplus zones to absorb excess produce
Awareness and training for farmers on crop planning and diversification. more