Traders sometimes amplify global shocks for higher margins, but the core drivers are structural: import dependence, thin domestic buffers, and exposure to volatile geopolitics
March 2026 presented a picture of cautious stability for vegetarian households and modest relief for non-vegetarian ones. While cheaper onions, potatoes and pulses delivered welcome savings, the surge in tomato, oil and fuel prices ensured that the overall impact remained balanced rather than decisively downward.
The UN appeal comes at a moment when humanitarian funding is already stretched by multiple crises. While CERF has provided rapid support, broader donor commitments remain insufficient relative to the scale of projected need.
South Asia’s lead crisis is not inevitable. Experience elsewhere demonstrates that decisive regulation, industrial formalisation and community-level interventions can sharply reduce exposure.
The UN appeal comes at a moment when humanitarian funding is already stretched by multiple crises. While CERF has provided rapid support, broader donor commitments remain insufficient relative to the scale of projected need.