Onam sadya could cost more this year as vegetable prices surge across Kerala
Vegetable and fruit prices have surged in Kerala due to crop damage from heavy monsoon rains, potentially forcing families to scale down Onam feasts and reduce sweetness in traditional desserts.
Vegetable and fruit prices have surged in Kerala due to crop damage from heavy monsoon rains, potentially forcing families to scale down Onam feasts and reduce sweetness in traditional desserts.
Vegetable and fruit prices have surged in Kerala due to crop damage from heavy monsoon rains, potentially forcing families to scale down Onam feasts and reduce sweetness in traditional desserts.
With Onam just around the corner, households in Kerala are staring at an expensive festive season as vegetable and fruit prices skyrocket. Local consumers fear that the indispensable Onam sadya may have to be scaled down because of the price rise. It is not just vegetables, but essentials like sugar too are seeing in a spike in prices.
Crop damage and supply crunch hit markets
The reasons are no secret. Heavy monsoon rains have dealt a massive blow to local agriculture, causing crop damage worth an estimated ₹10 crore in the Kannur district alone. Farms in hilly areas have borne the brunt of the weather, which has almost wiped out domestic vegetable cultivation. As a result, the volume of local produce reaching markets has dried up.
Traders in Kannur note that supplies from neighbouring states and major farming hubs have dwindled significantly. For instance, the popular Wayanad raw banana, usually a staple in Onam dishes, has seen a sharp decline in arrivals, alongside a drop in supply of Mettupalayam bananas.
Weekly price spikes burden consumers
Over the last week, retail prices of essential vegetables have surged by ₹8 to ₹30 per kilogram. In Kannur, drumsticks and carrots have already crossed the ₹100-per-kg mark, becoming premium items on the shopping list. Retailers warn that prices are likely to climb even higher as demand peaks closer to Onam, making budget planning a nightmare for middle-class families.
A comparison of retail prices in Kannur
Here is a breakdown of how vegetable and fruit prices per kilogram have escalated in the Kannur retail market (old prices vs current prices in rupees):
• Bitter gourd: ₹60 to ₹90
• Onion: ₹30 to ₹38
• Potato: ₹28 to ₹33
• Okra: ₹40 to ₹55
• Long beans: ₹60 to ₹74
• Yam: ₹55 to ₹65
• Cucumber: ₹25 to ₹32
• Ash gourd: ₹35 to ₹42
• Cabbage: ₹38 to ₹48
• Pumpkin: ₹30 to ₹38
• French beans: ₹60 to ₹95
• Nendran banana (ripe): ₹70 to ₹85
• Nendran raw banana: ₹45 to ₹75
• Njalippoovan banana (ripe): ₹65 to ₹80
• Njalippoovan raw banana: ₹45 to ₹55