India, May 29 -- Pre-monsoon showers have damaged onion, tomato and several fruit crops across Maharashtra, especially in major producing regions like Nashik, leading to fears of a spike in onion prices in the coming days. While prices of essential vegetables, including onion, tomato and leafy greens, are rising sharply in retail markets, fruit prices are falling due to lower demand and supply glut.

Lata Bhamre, a farmer from Satana taluka in Nashik district, said, "We had planned to harvest onions in the last week of May due to labour shortages. But the sudden rain caught us off guard. Nearly 60% of my crop is lost."

Rupesh Sawant, another farmer from Nashik, said his stored onions were also damaged. "I had stored onions at my farm. I ...