Over the weekend, onion prices in the city shot up from Rs 12 to Rs 24 per kg at the wholesale market because of demand from rain-hit states like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. But on Monday, the price crashed triggering protest from the growers. Southern traders could not transport onions to the market because of heavy rains. This prompted farmers around Pune to flush out the onions from their godowns and send them to the Gultekdi market to take advantage of the high prices. “We received over 200 quintals of onions on Monday, double of what we get daily,” said Pratap Nikam, an Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) trader.

Heavy rainfall is causing the price of potato to increase steadily. On Monday, one kg of potato in the retail market cost Rs 24. Heavy rains have damaged the potato crop in Sangli, Satara, and Kolhapur. The potato crop is also affected because of late blight disease. “Supply of potato is down by 30 per cent,” said Vilas Bhujbal, APMC director.

Regarding onions, Nikam said, “Sixty per cent of the onion stock is on hold. Growers are saying that they will sell them only if the prices of onions go up to at least Rs 16-Rs 17 per kg.” On the other hand, he said potato price will increase over the next month till fresh stocks arrive.