Fresh coriander has transformed from a complimentary kitchen staple to a premium commodity, with prices surging above ₹200 per kg following heavy rainfall disruptions. According to reports from ET, the sharp increase followed intense rainfall in and around Nashik in Maharashtra, a key source of green coriander for markets across northern India. At Delhi's Azadpur mandi, fresh coriander prices climbed to ₹175 per kg, while retail rates earlier this week reached ₹220-230 per kg. As per ET, the humble dhaniya patti has gone from freebie to luxury garnish, with wholesale prices usually hovering around ₹25 per kg at this time of the year.
The price surge was triggered by flooding toward the end of July that damaged standing crops and disrupted transportation, reducing the supply of coriander that could withstand the long-distance journey to Delhi. As reported by ET, traders said weather-related disruptions to transportation further fuelled the sharp swings in prices seen on certain days this week. Mukesh Kumar, a vegetable trader at Azadpur mandi, noted that wholesale prices during this period typically range around ₹25 per kg, with brief surges reaching ₹200 per kg before easing to about ₹110 per kg. The latest spell of excess rain damaged coriander crops in several areas, making good-quality produce harder to source, particularly varieties that can withstand transportation to distant markets such as Delhi.
According to Krushna Borade, a vegetable trader and exporter based in Nashik, the availability of good-quality green coriander had already tightened about a month ago, pushing local prices in Nashik to nearly ₹130 per kg. Borade added that supplies from other producing centres, including Bengaluru and Latur, had also fallen because of delayed rainfall. The recent spell of heavy rain caused extensive damage to coriander crops across several regions, making premium-quality produce increasingly difficult to procure, particularly varieties that can withstand transportation to distant markets such as Delhi.
The shortage has been particularly acute for varieties capable of enduring long-distance transportation to markets such as Delhi. As reported by ET, coriander harvested around Nashik is usually sent first to cold-storage facilities in Indore before being transported to Delhi, leaving the supply chain highly susceptible to interruptions caused by heavy rain. According to Aniket Kapadi, a coriander trader from Nashik, it is very difficult to predict prices of leafy greens during the rainy season as they can jump multi-fold within a day of delayed arrival. The weather-related transport disruptions also contributed to sharp price movements on some days this week, making the supply chain vulnerable to weather-related disruptions.
