A Market in Turmoil

By: Javid Amin | 01 December 2025

Kashmir’s markets are in the grip of a severe price crisis, as essential commodities—from vegetables and poultry to fuel, dairy, and daily rations—have surged far beyond the purchasing capacity of average households. What began as seasonal tightening caused by winter disruptions has spiraled into a full-blown inflationary shock, exposing cracks in governance, oversight, and market regulation.

From Srinagar’s bustling Lal Chowk to local mandis in Anantnag, Baramulla, Budgam, Shopian, and Kupwara, consumers report the same reality:
no price control, no inspection squads, no accountability.

The situation has become so unpredictable that families say daily shopping has turned into a negotiation battlefield, with prices fluctuating by the hour, not the day.

The Price Surge: What’s Going Up and Why

1. Vegetables Hit Historical Highs

Vegetable prices—normally high in winter due to supply constraints—have jumped 40–80% above last year’s levels.

Tomatoes: ₹80–₹120 per kg
Onions: ₹70–₹90 per kg
Potatoes: ₹50–₹60 per kg
Capsicum & beans: ₹120–₹150 per kg
Cauliflower: ₹90–₹110 per kg

Vendors attribute the surge to transportation costs and reduced arrivals from outside states, but consumers argue that the differences between wholesale and retail prices suggest unchecked profiteering.

2. Poultry and Dairy: Daily Essentials Out of Reach

Broiler chicken: ₹180–₹220 per kg
Eggs: ₹75–₹85 per dozen
Milk: Informal hikes of ₹10–₹20 per litre reported in parts of Srinagar, Ganderbal, Pulwama

Poultry sellers claim cold-chain disruptions and increased feed costs, but the absence of official rate enforcement has allowed arbitrary increases.

3. Fuel and Transport: The Inflation Multiplier

Fuel remains the invisible villain behind every price tag in Kashmir.

Diesel and petrol fluctuations have increased freight rates
Transporters shifted rising costs to wholesalers
Wholesalers passed them on to retailers
Retailers then transferred the burden to consumers

In a valley geographically dependent on imports, this chain reaction has triggered widespread inflation.

Oversight Missing: Where Are the Enforcement Squads?

The most common complaint across markets is not high prices themselves—but the complete absence of price-checking authorities.

No Market Interventions

Shoppers report:

No checking squads during peak hours
No verification of rate lists
No action against hoarders
No punishment for illegal hikes
No supervision of weighing scales

The Fair Price and Market Regulation units appear largely dysfunctional this winter, a vacuum exploited by profiteers.

Administrative Gap

Elected representatives say they lack executive authority after the 2019 administrative restructuring. With power concentrated in the Raj Bhawan, local leaders claim they can only raise concerns—not enforce solutions.

This governance disconnect has allowed markets to operate with minimal oversight, fuelling speculative pricing and arbitrary markups.

Voices from the Ground: Public Frustration at its Peak

Shoppers Feel Abandoned

From Srinagar’s Batamaloo market to Sopore’s fruit mandi, people express the same sentiment:

“Koi poochne wala nahi. Jo rate bolte hain, wohi dena padta hai.”
(There’s no one to question. Whatever rate they demand, we must pay.)

Women—who manage most household shopping—say budgeting has become impossible.

Middle Class Hit Hardest

The middle-income segment, often overlooked in welfare programs, is now squeezed from all sides:

School fee cycles
Electricity bills
Heating costs (kangri, gas, kerosene, electric heating)
Winter clothing for children
And now skyrocketing food prices

Many families report cutting back on nutritional items such as chicken, fresh vegetables, and dairy.

Daily Wagers Left Vulnerable

With wages stagnant and inflation rising, daily laborers face the darkest winter. Several families say they are reducing meals, relying more on rice and less on protein-rich foods.

The Political Fallout: Opposition Sharpens its Attack

Opposition parties have begun linking the inflation crisis to governance failure, warning that the winter price surge is becoming a humanitarian issue.

Key accusations include:

Weak checks on hoarding
No enforcement of official rate lists
Absence of market inspections
Poor coordination between Food Supplies, Agriculture, and Revenue departments

One opposition leader remarked:

“This is not just inflation. This is administrative indifference.”

With Assembly elections anticipated in the coming year, inflation could emerge as a powerful political narrative.

Broader Context: Why This Winter is Worse

1. Global Input Cost Inflation

Feed, fertilizer, logistics, and fuel prices have fluctuated worldwide since COVID-19 and geopolitical disruptions.

2. Local Supply Chain Vulnerability

Kashmir’s winter supply chain depends almost entirely on imports from:

Jammu plains
Delhi
Amritsar
Rajasthan
Himachal Pradesh

Any disruption in the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway immediately shows up on grocery bills.

3. Reduced Agricultural Output

Local vegetable output dips sharply during harsh winters, increasing dependence on outside markets.

4. Administrative Transition

With governance centralized, district-level officers lack autonomy, causing slower interventions.

Impact on Tourism: A Troubling Trend for Winter Season

Tourists arriving for skiing, snow tourism, and winter holidays report:

Higher food prices in restaurants
Increased taxi fares
More expensive hotel meals
Premium pricing on essentials in tourist zones

These increases risk tarnishing Kashmir’s winter tourism image.

Hoteliers warn that unchecked inflation could squeeze profit margins and reduce visitor spending.

What Needs to Happen Now: Expert Recommendations

1. Immediate Market Raids

Surprise inspections, penalty drives, and rate list verification must begin urgently.

2. Transparent Daily Price Bulletin

A digital dashboard listing approved rates, updated every morning.

3. Regulating Transport Costs

Fixing freight tariffs for winter months to prevent cascading inflation.

4. Strengthening Consumer Courts

Allowing consumers to report overpricing quickly through mobile apps.

5. Coordination Between Departments

A unified Winter Price Stabilization Task Force could streamline enforcement.

Bottom-Line: A Winter of Economic Anxiety for Kashmir

Kashmir’s current price surge is not merely a seasonal spike—it is a systemic failure compounded by weak oversight, fragile supply chains, and limited administrative accountability. What should have been a routine winter preparedness cycle has instead turned into an affordability crisis impacting millions.

Unless the administration intervenes swiftly and decisively, this winter could leave deeper scars—economic, social, and political—than any in recent memory.