From Freebie to Fortune
For decades, a handful of fresh coriander leaves, or dhaniya patti, was a small gift from the sabziwala, a garnish so essential yet so abundant it was practically free. Today, that very garnish has become a luxury. In cities like Delhi, retail prices
have shot up to ₹220-230 per kilogram, a shocking increase from the typical wholesale rate of around ₹25 per kg during this time of year. This sudden spike has turned a routine purchase into a calculated expense, forcing households and restaurants to either pay the premium or skip the indispensable flavour and aroma that coriander adds to countless Indian dishes. The question on everyone's mind is how this humble herb suddenly became so expensive.
Blame It on the Rain
The primary culprit behind the price surge is the erratic and intense monsoon. Heavy rainfall and flooding in late July across key growing regions, particularly in and around Nashik in Maharashtra, have devastated standing coriander crops. Nashik is a crucial supplier of green coriander to markets across northern India, and the waterlogged fields have not only destroyed the plants but also made harvesting impossible in many areas. Coriander is a delicate leafy green, highly susceptible to damage from excess water. The persistent downpours have led to crop rot and significantly reduced the volume of produce leaving the farms.
A Broken Supply Chain
The problem extends far beyond the farms. The journey of coriander from Nashik to a market in Delhi is a fragile logistical chain that the monsoon has severely disrupted. Typically, harvested coriander is sent to cold-storage facilities in hubs like Indore before being transported further north. However, weather-related transport disruptions and damaged roads have slowed down or halted trucks, leading to massive delays. For a highly perishable item like coriander, a delay of even a day can mean significant spoilage, further reducing the amount of quality produce that reaches the final market. This creates a classic supply-and-demand crisis: fewer arrivals at wholesale mandis like Delhi's Azadpur lead to aggressive bidding among traders, pushing wholesale prices to unprecedented levels, which are then passed on to consumers.
A Widespread Problem
While coriander is the most dramatic example, it is not the only kitchen staple feeling the monsoon's impact. Supplies from other production centres like Bengaluru and Latur have also been affected by delayed or uneven rainfall, preventing them from filling the gap left by Maharashtra. Traders have noted that while some supply has been sourced from Karnataka, it has been limited and often of inferior quality. This issue is symptomatic of a broader trend where prices of other aromatics like ginger and garlic have also seen sharp year-on-year increases. The volatility of leafy green prices during the monsoon is a known challenge, as their fragility makes them highly susceptible to both crop damage and transport hurdles.
When Can We Expect Relief?
Unfortunately, consumers may have to bear these high prices for a while longer. Agricultural experts and traders predict that prices for leafy greens like coriander will likely remain volatile throughout the monsoon season. The market is now dependent on the next crop cycle and an improvement in weather conditions to see a significant increase in supply. Prices are expected to stabilize only when fresh harvests from undamaged regions begin to arrive consistently in the mandis, replenishing the strained supply chain. Until then, the cost of this essential garnish will serve as a direct indicator of the monsoon's disruptive power on our food systems.
