The price of leafy vegetables has risen in India, according to Hortidaily.

What's happening?

Continuous rainfall in India this month damaged many farms, with growers of leafy vegetables, in particular, reporting losses. As a result, fewer leafy vegetables are available in markets, and those that remain have risen significantly in price. 

Retailers reported that the prices of spinach, coriander, and tomatoes had risen by 30%. As one wholesaler, Rajendra Suryavanshi, explained to Hortidaily: "A major quantity of produce being supplied in the market has been damaged by moisture due to the rain. So, prices of good-quality produce have gone up."

If the rains continue, prices are likely to rise even more, leaving consumers desperately hoping for the rainfall to stop.

Why are these price increases concerning?

Extreme weather events, such as prolonged rainfall, are occurring more frequently as temperatures around the globe continue to rise. These rising temperatures are caused by heat-trapping gases entering the atmosphere from human-made pollution, and it will take a significant reduction in these gases to mitigate extreme weather. 

As extreme weather continues, ranging from constant rain to droughts to an increased number of wildfires, more farmers will lose crops, creating food shortages on grocery shelves, while any food still available will increase in price, causing financial strain on consumers. 

Crop loss will significantly impact farmers as well. As more farmers lose more crops, they will lose income, almost certainly resulting in a loss of agricultural jobs and farms going out of business. 

On top of destabilizing food supply chains and costing consumers more, increased rainfall and similar occurrences can cause untold harm to the environment.

How can crops be protected from extreme weather?

Preparing for extreme weather is essential for farmers these days, and, luckily, technological advances can help them do just that, as Growing Produce outlined. 

Predictive analysis can provide early warnings for extreme weather events, while vertical farming keeps plants inside and requires fewer natural resources. Meanwhile, some scientists are studying how to genetically engineer plants to better withstand overly wet or overly dry conditions, while others have built robots to assess plant health and soil conditions.

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