KARACHI, July 23: Incessant rains in Sindh and various parts of the country have played havoc with the standing crops of vegetables, causing price flare-up in the local market.

As a result, arrival of vegetable loaded trucks from the upcountry at the New Subzi Mandi, Super Highway, has also come down.

Except for potato, whose rates are pegged at Rs7-8 per kg, prices of all other vegetables have gone up since heavy rains have lashed the crops in major producing areas.

Retailers are charging Rs8 per kg for onion as compared to pre-rain price of Rs7 per kg. Grade-I onion is now being sold at Rs200 per 40 kg, while grade-II can be purchased at Rs100-140 per 40 kg.

The president, Falahi Anjuman Wholesale Vegetable Market, New Subzi Mandi, Haji Shahjehan, said that around 40-50 trucks carrying 300 maund of onion per truck were arriving daily at the new Mandi as compared to 100-150 trucks prior to rains.

Currently, people of entire Sindh are consuming onion arriving from Balochistan crop, where rains have also hit the new crop, he added. However, Sarhad crop is meeting the consumption in Punjab. Sindh crop will start from October/November. Onions are also being exported to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Colombo, Muscat, etc.

The price of tomato arriving from Balochistan crop rose to Rs20 per kg from Rs14 per kg. Its wholesale price increased to Rs16 per kg for grade-I from Rs10 per kg, while grade-II price now ranges between Rs12 and Rs14 per kg from Rs8-10 per kg.

Haji Shahjehan said that wholesale price of lady finger (Sindh crop) surged to Rs14-15 per kg at wholesale from Rs6-8 per kg, while cabbage (from Punjab) is being sold at Rs10 per kg at the Subzi Mandi from Rs3-4 per kg.

He said coriander (dhania) prices went up to Rs60 per kg from Rs20-25 per kg in wholesale. It is arriving from Sindh and also from Islamabad by air.

Wholesalers are charging Rs25-30 per kg for salad as compared to Rs10 per kg, while bell pepper (shimla mirch) price rose to Rs10 per kg from Rs4-5 per kg. Price of cucumber (kheera from Sindh crop) surged to Rs6-8 per kg from Rs3-4 per kg, while bitter gourd (karela) prices moved up to Rs22 per kg from Rs8-10 per kg.

Price of sugarbeet (chukandar) saw an increase to Rs5 per kg from Rs2.5 per kg at the wholesale market. Brinjal (baigan) became costlier to Rs6 per kg from Rs3 per kg.

Haji Shahjehan said prices might remain under pressure in case rains continue in future.