After tomatoes, onions, veggies see price rise due to early monsoon

Panaji: The early onset of the southwest monsoon brought the much-needed relief from the sweltering summer heat, but the showers are beginning to take a toll on household budgets. Kitchen staples are seeing sharp price increases, with tomato prices rising by Rs 10 last week, followed by onion and coriander this week.Onions are now retailing at Rs 40 per kg—a jump from Rs 30 in just a few days. Vendors attribute the price rise to heavy rainfall disrupting transportation and supply chains from Maharashtra. “The trucks are delayed, and many consignments are arriving spoiled due to excess moisture,” said a vendor from Panaji market.The price of coriander has also surged, now selling at Rs 30 per bunch, compared to Rs 20 just last week. “If the rain continues to affect supply routes, we’ll likely see prices rise even further,” said another vendor. Shoppers may have to brace for more volatile prices in the weeks ahead.“If monsoon-related supply issues persist for vegetables, govt must intervene to ease the burden on consumers by regularising prices,” said Prajay Naik, a customer.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) updated its forecast for the 2025 monsoon season, predicting above-normal rainfall. The agency raised its projection for the four-month monsoon period to 106% of the long-term average, up from last month’s estimate of 105%. For June specifically, the IMD expects rainfall to be significantly above normal.