Bengaluru: Poor rains and sowing, festive demand drive up prices of vegetables

Bengaluru: Poor rains and sowing, festive demand drive up rates of vegetables Published – August 19, 2026 10: 17 pm IST – Bengaluru.

Key points

• Vishwanath Patil, president of Jai Kisan Wholesale Vegetable Market in Belagavi, observed that if it continues to rain, it is good for farmers but bad for the traders.
• Last week, the cost of onion per kg in the wholesale market ranged somewhere between ₹17 and ₹28 depending on the quality and size.
• Quoting the rates of vegetables, she stated, At present, the rate of onion is ₹50-55 per kg depending on the size and quality.
• She remarked, Residents think that vegetable vendors earn well by charging more for vegetables.
• He continued, Since onion is employed as an ingredient in most of the dishes prepared at home, the demand is high.

For context, a view of K.R. Market in Bengaluru. Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR.

With the festival season set to start with Varamahalakshmi on Friday (August 21) followed by Ganesh Chathurti, accompanied by deficit rain and a decline in sowing percentage, vegetable costs in different markets of the city have rose.

Gangadhariah, a vegetable trader at Kalasipalya vegetable market in Bengaluru, remarked, "Traders purchase vegetables from here in sizeable quantities and sell them in bigger markets like Shivajinagar, Yeshwantpur, Gandhi Bazaar, K.R. Market, Madiwala and others. Last week, the cost of onion per kg in the wholesale market ranged somewhere between ₹17 and ₹28 depending on the quality and size. Now, it has rose to ₹32-35 depending on the quality. In retail, it will be ₹50 to 55 per kg, and first-grade ones have gone up to ₹60 per kg."

He continued, "Since onion is employed as an ingredient in most of the dishes prepared at home, the demand is high. Furthermore, less rainfall and less stock in the market has lead to cost surge during festival season. We usually depend on Maharashtra for onions and this year, we will to have purchase more than the projected load that arrives every year."

Vishwanath Patil, president of Jai Kisan Wholesale Vegetable Market in Belagavi, observed that if it continues to rain, it is good for farmers but bad for the traders. "We purchase onions and tomatoes from Maharashtra and Chitradurga respectively. Nevertheless, if it rains, half of the stock will secure wet and rot away in crates even before it reaches us. In such a case too, the rates of these vegetables will rise, impacting the consumers, " noted Mr. Patil.

Meanwhile, Valliammal, a vegetable vendor in Vasanth Nagar, additionally highlighted that the retail costs of vegetables have began increasing from the past two days owing to the upcoming festival.

She remarked, "Residents think that vegetable vendors earn well by charging more for vegetables. But on festivals, we do not earn a profit of even ₹100 since the costs at wholesale markets or APMC mandis are additionally high. After deducting expenses, we easily gain profits of ₹200-400 per day.", on normal days.

Quoting the rates of vegetables, she stated, "At present, the rate of onion is ₹50-55 per kg depending on the size and quality. Last week, it was ₹40 per kg. While bajji chilli is ₹70 per kg and will growth up to ₹80-90 per kg on Thursday and Friday, tomatoes, which were ₹30-35 are priced at ₹40-45 per kg. Green chilli, which was ₹60 per kg, has rose up to ₹80 per kg. Beans is ₹90 per kg and carrot has rose from ₹70-88 per kg. Since of deficient rain, high demand and low stock in wholesale markets, the costs have surged.", this year.

For now, bengaluru: Poor rains and sowing, festive demand drive up prices of vegetables remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.