Vegetable prices soar, leaving Delhi-NCR customers struggling

New Delhi: While the monsoon has given relief from the heat, it has also caused vegetable prices to rise sharply, adding to the burden on people across the National Capital Region (Delhi-NCR). Heavy rains have led to significant inflation, with the prices of potatoes, onions, and tomatoes soaring.
The prices of tomatoes have reached between Rs 100 and Rs 150 per kg in most parts of the state, while onions have reached Rs 90 per kg and potatoes Rs 80 per kg in Delhi-NCR.
As per the experts, the prices of vegetables will rise more in north India, including Uttar Pradesh, Delhi NCR, and Haryana. Farmers say their crops have been damaged due to heavy rainfall.
Talking to the ANI in Delhi, a customer said, "It is hard to survive because of the rising prices of the vegetables, the price of every vegetable has gone up. Tomatoes are expensive, chilies are expensive. The main reason for this inflation is the heavy rain. Major ingredients in food like tomatoes are out of reach now. You buy just a little bit of vegetables, and the bill comes out to be five hundred to six hundred rupees."
"The prices of vegetables are rising due to rain. During this time, the prices of all the vegetables are rising. There is a possibility of an increase in the price of onion and tomato in the coming days. The price of vegetables is increasing more in the markets of UP and South than in Delhi," said a vendor talking to ANI in Azadpur Mandi.
In recent months, there has been a significant increase in the prices of tomatoes, potatoes, and onions. With the arrival of rains in July, vegetable prices have surged significantly.
As per the government data, wholesale food prices have risen month-on-month in May. The Wholesale Price Index for food rose from 5.52 per cent in April to 7.40 per cent in May. The data further indicated that the wholesale inflation in the country, based on the Wholesale Price Index rose to 2.61 per cent in May versus 1.26 reported in April.
Although the retail inflation is under the RBI's 2-6 per cent comfort level the food inflation is still a concern for the policymakers. In the future, the price uncertainties will be affected by the food prices, as per the economy watchers.