Many Punjab retailers have increased prices of all their vegetables. This week, vegetable fields were submerged in over 3 feet of water. Some 20 percent of the area under vegetable cultivation in Punjab has been affected due to excessive rainfall in various parts of the state, particularly in the Malwa region. The cultivated area is 223,000 hectares this year.

Shailendar Kaur, Director Horticulture, Punjab told The Indian Express: “It rained heavily Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Ferozepur, and as per the field reports, nearly 20 percent of the total area under vegetables and fruits has been affected.”

Retailers have increased prices of all vegetables irrespective of the fact that the vegetables with them had already been purchased at low prices. Vegetable fields were submerged under over 3 ft water. The Agriculture Department has indicated that there has been no loss to any variety of paddy crop, but farmers in Mansa said late varieties might get damaged.