Narayangaon vegetable market recorded a turnover of ₹20 crore in October from the sale of coriander, fenugreek and dill, as sustained prices helped farmers in parts of Pune and neighbouring districts earn up to ₹1.5 lakh per acre.
The market is a sub-market of the Junnar Agricultural Produce Market Committee and receives produce from Junnar, Ambegaon, Shirur, Parner and Sangamner areas. A total of 1.30 crore bunches of coriander, fenugreek and dill arrived at the market during October, according to the report by Sakal – Pune.
Coriander and fenugreek bunches fetched between ₹500 and ₹5,500 per hundred bunches, depending on quality. Dill was sold at between ₹700 and ₹2,500 per hundred bunches. Daily auctions at the market begin after 7pm, while daily arrivals typically range between three lakh and 3.5 lakh bunches.
The strong prices came despite water scarcity and unusually high temperatures during the month. Farmers used drip and sprinkler irrigation, along with careful cultivation planning, to produce the short-duration crops. The report said lower cultivation caused by drought conditions also helped prices remain comparatively stable for a month by limiting arrivals.
For farmers, the crops offer a relatively quick production cycle with limited initial investment. Seeds, fertilisers, cultivation, harvesting labour and transport together require about ₹25,000 to ₹30,000 per acre, while coriander and fenugreek can be ready for sale within 30 to 40 days. However, prices usually fluctuate daily according to supply and demand, and farmers can be forced to discard bunches when rates fall sharply.
The market committee’s chairman, Sanjay Kale, said the October performance was notable because farmers managed to grow the crops despite both water shortages and high temperatures. He attributed the successful production to the use of drip and sprinkler irrigation and said reduced cultivation in drought-affected conditions contributed to stable prices.
The produce is sent to Mumbai, Pune and other states, including for sale through malls. This makes the Narayangaon market an important link between farms in the region and urban consumers. The market’s performance also shows how short-duration crops can provide seasonal income to small and medium farmers, although earnings remain dependent on market arrivals, demand, weather and transport costs.
Arun Bhalerao, a farmer from Ganeshwadi-Kalamb in Ambegaon taluka, said he planted fenugreek on 10 acres in four stages using sprinkler irrigation in September. Harvesting began on October 15. He incurred around ₹2 lakh in cultivation costs and had earned ₹10 lakh from sales at the time of the report, with harvesting still continuing. He also said farmers Ulhas Bhalerao and Ganesh Bhalerao had received good returns from the crop.
The market’s next auctions and incoming arrivals will determine whether the October price trend continues, as rates remain linked to daily supply, demand and crop quality.
