Mumbai: The price of the humble drumstick (sahjan or moringa) has escalated from Rs 80-100 per kilo to Rs 400 across MMR. Demand has dropped to an extent where vendors have stopped stocking the vegetable that is a staple ingredient in south Indian preparations like sambhar and avial.
In Khar municipal market where Sindhis purchase drumstick to enrich Sindhi kadhi, vendor Raja Patil said its trees were damaged in the monsoon, causing short arrivals. At Seven Bungalows, Andheri, green grocer Ravi L Soni had carefully wrapped costly individual drumsticks in newspaper to “preserve the pulp inside that is its USP”. Both said quality was poor as well. They expect rates to remain high until the new crop arrives from South India in January.
In Matunga market, KA Viswanathan said, “Even to take photographs, not a single stick is available. I checked with half a dozen shops. One vendor said they have stopped fetching drumstick from the Vashi wholesale market where it costs Rs 350-400 per kg that is hardly 10 to 12 sticks. They will have to sell for an exorbitant Rs 35-40 apiece which nobody will buy, and if it becomes dry, they will have to throw it.”
In Kalyan’s wholesale vegetable market, drumstick was available at Rs 100-120 per kg until Oct. However, prices have unexpectedly surged to Rs 400, a level unseen even during the Covid-19 pandemic. The vegetable was missing in two major APMCs in Kalyan (West). Traders said that stocking at current prices is unfeasible due to limited customer interest. “Even when it is Rs 60-80 kg people buy just quarter or half kg,” said vendor Santosh Kamble.
Seller Aslam Shaikh said, “Only one vendor in the entire market has got 15 kg for a special order by a retailer.”
Thane traders say rates have spiked from Rs 120/kg to nearly Rs 400 in the last few weeks. They attribute this to reduced supply from growing areas affected by unseasonal rains. Manpada consumer Shashi Kumar Nair said, “Drumstick is a prominent vegetable in our kitchen and such a steep rise will definitely impact our monthly budget.” Wholesaler Ankush Thonge said reduced supply and increased demand has led to price rise. “The average rate of ‘shevga’ doesn’t go beyond Rs 150 so Rs 400 is unprecedented.”
A retailer from Ghodbunder Road has stopped stocking drumstick temporarily. She said, “Customers claim the low quality doesn’t even justify the increased rates.”
Drumsticks are an essential ingredient in South Indian dishes, particularly sambhar and avial. Avial originates in Kerala. It consists of a thick mixture of typically 13 vegetables found in the Western Ghats, combined with coconut, and flavoured with coconut oil and curry leaves. Sindhis add drumstick to enhance the flavour of the classic Sindhi kadhi.
(Inputs by Bella Jaisinghani)