Vegetable prices ease at Kesarganj mandi as fresh arrivals pick up after the rains

Wholesale prices of tomatoes, onions and leafy vegetables have eased at the Kesarganj mandi over the past two weeks, as fresh arrivals from nearby farms picked up after heavy rains disrupted supply in September.

Traders said tomato prices had fallen by about a third, while onion prices were down by around 15 per cent. Leafy vegetables, which were badly hit when fields flooded, are back in good supply.

"When the rain stopped, the trucks came back," said Mohammad Irfan, a commission agent at the mandi. "Farmers are bringing whatever they could save, and the second sowing is also coming in."

Wholesale prices at Kesarganj mandi (per kg)

Retail prices usually take a week or two to follow wholesale prices down. Households in the city said they had seen small cuts at local vendors.

Traders expect prices to stay soft until the main festive weeks, when demand for vegetables rises with family gatherings and community meals. Farmers, however, say low prices at harvest squeeze their margins after losses from the rains, and are asking for more cold storage near the mandi.