Ginger, garlic prices shoot up on lower supplies

 

 

The prices of two essential ingredients used in kitchens, ginger and garlic have continued to surge from the past two months due to lower supplies in the Kalamna wholesale market. The ginger prices have shot up to Rs 135 to Rs 170 per kilo as compared to Rs 70 to Rs 80 per kilo in March. Similarly, the garlic prices have surged to Rs 70 to Rs 150 per kilo as compared to Rs 45 to 120 per kilo in the wholesale market. “The ginger and garlic prices have skyrocketed beyond expectations due to lower supplies,” said Dipul Shah, a wholesaler at Kalamna wholesale market while speaking to The Hitavada.

 

In retail, the ginger prices have reached a level of Rs 180 per kg to Rs 240 per kg and garlic at Rs 160 to Rs 200 per kg, depending on the size, Shah pointed out. Shah further said that the ginger season is from January to April, during this period, most of produce arrives in the wholesale market. Afterwards the supplies come from warehouses or cold storage where the ginger stock is stored by farmers and traders. This stock is then sold in the market as the prices rise. The ginger is mostly grown is south India. Kerala is the largest producer of ginger in the country. The high quality ginger which is larger in size arrives from Bangaluru market to Nagpur. The local variety is smaller in size and comes from Aurangabad, Nanded and Jalna in Maharashtra. Currently, on an average 5 to 7 trucks (10 tonne trucks) of ginger are arriving daily in the wholesale market.

 

Shah said that last season the ginger prices were at a low of Rs 10 per kg to Rs 12 per kg. Because of favourable climatic conditions there was bumper ginger production and prices dropped. The farmers were not happy with the ginger prices therefore there was lower acreage sowing and rains have been late by one and half months. This situation had created a mismatch in demand and supply, resulting in higher prices. Apart from this, last season the garlic prices were at low of Rs 10 per kg and hit a high of Rs 25 per kg in the wholesale market. The new crop is expected to come in January. Garlic mostly comes from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to the Kalamna wholesale market. On a daily average 2 to 5 trucks come to the market. The farmers not being satisfied with the lower prices and remuneration sowed less acreage which resulted in lower supplies and higher prices. Another trader felt the prices of ginger and garlic were at their peak levels and expected them not to go up further from current levels.