Drumstick Prices Skyrocket To ₹400/kg In Pune Markets Due To Unseasonal Rains
Pune: Drumstick Prices Plummet To ₹40 per Kg In Retail Market
Unseasonal rains in parts of western and northern Maharashtra have caused significant damage to vegetable crops, leading to a surge in retail vegetable prices in Pune. The most notable casualty of this price hike is the humble drumstick, which has reached an unprecedented ₹400 per kg in Pune markets.
This price hike has led to drumsticks disappearing from popular dishes like sambhar, rasam, and curries in restaurants across Pune and other parts of the state. Restaurant owners are being forced to omit drumsticks from their menus due to their skyrocketing cost.
According to traders, drumsticks were selling for ₹60-80 per kg in Pune’s local vegetable markets just last week. However, the sudden rains damaged crops across the state, causing a steep price hike.
Consumers are feeling the pinch, with many being forced to alter their culinary preferences. “Yesterday, I went to Mandai market to buy vegetables and was shocked to see drumsticks priced at ₹450 per kg. We decided not to buy them,” said Vaishali shibde, a resident of Sadashiv Peth.
Farmers are also bearing the brunt of the unseasonal rains, with many reporting significant losses. “Heavy rains in the last few days completely destroyed my drumstick crop spread across half an acre. The loss has been huge,” said a farmer from Purandar taluka in Pune district.
Experts attribute the crisis to erratic climatic conditions. Senior meteorologist said, “While December’s unseasonal rains are not very heavy, the cloudy weather and temperature drops have marginally affected crops, contributing to this situation.”
The surge in prices has left both consumers and farmers grappling with the effects of unpredictable weather, highlighting the fragility of agricultural supply chains.
