GUWAHATI, July 7 � The gap between wholesale and retail prices of vegetables has reached 37.3 per cent in April-June 2014 compared to 33.7 per cent in the 2013-14 fiscal, according to industry body the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).
This was among the various findings discerned during a study of 33 mandis across India during April-June 2014.
The gap between the wholesale and retail prices of vegetables has increased by 80 per cent, whereas retail prices in 10 centres has been to the extent of 30 per cent, it said.
It was also observed that on an average, retailers are selling vegetables at more than 48.8 per cent of wholesale prices and even in some centres selling prices are at more than 51 per cent, it added.
Among other places, the study revealed that while Surat retail and wholesale price gap has increased from 49.7 per cent in the entire fiscal year of 2013-14 to 50.8 per cent during April-June 2014, among other centres in Lucknow it has gone up from 48.5 per cent to 54.8 per cent, in Shimla from 37.9 per cent to 47.3 per cent, in Jammu from 37.5 per cent to 42.4 per cent, in Chennai from 34.6 per cent to 37.3 per cent, in Guwahati 33.7 per cent to 37.3 per cent, and in Amritsar 120.5 per cent to 121.8 per cent during the period under review.
It was also observed that on an average, retailers are selling vegetables at more than 48.8 per cent of wholesale prices and even in some centres selling prices are at more than 51 per cent, the report said.
ASSOCHAM secretary general DS Rawat said the essential vegetables incorporated in the study are bitter gourd, brinjal long, brinjal round, cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, ginger, chilly, okra, onion, peas, potato fresh, potato store, tomato hybrid and tomato local. The study has considered 33 market centres in India.
The study also observed that the arrival of most of the vegetables has recorded a declining trend except local tomato, potato fresh and onion.
