Prices of vegetables soar 15-30% due to summer heat in and around Kolkata

The sweltering heat in Kolkata and surrounding districts are impacting vegetable production leading to a surge in prices, an official said on Tuesday.

Prices of common vegetables have increased by 15-30 per cent in recent weeks and unless there is rainfall within the next five to six days, rates are expected to rise further, a vendors' body said.

"The ongoing intense heat and lack of rain have had a significant impact on vegetable production. Supplies in producers' markets in the districts have already decreased drastically ," West Bengal Vendor's Association president Kamal De told PTI.

Citing an example, De said that farmers' markets or haats' at Gopalnagar close to Bongaon in North 24 Parganas district received an average of nearly 100-125 truckloads of pointed gourds per day during this time last year. But the number has dropped to 45 a day now.

"The situation is even worse at small markets ," De added.

There are about 50-60 large such haats' in the state.

Crops are also show