Veggie prices drop by 20% at Koyambedu

CHENNAI: Fuel price hike has kicked up prices of all commodities, essential and otherwise. Vegetable prices were no different, until Tuesday. But after several weeks, prices beginning to drop. At Koyambedu wholesale market on Tuesday, supply of vegetables increased, which pushed down their prices by 20%. It’s expected to reduce further in the next few days, as the arrival of stocks normalise, said sources.

“Earlier, we received less than 400 truckloads of vegetables. Now, it has increased to 430-450 vehicles, as rains have receded in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It led to a 20% drop in prices for many vegetables including tomato, beans, broad beans, brinjal, and ladies finger,” explained P Sukumaran, treasurer, Koyambedu Wholesale Merchants’ Association.

A few vegetables like cucumber, bottle gourd, snake gourd, chow chow, carrot and beetroot witnessed a surge in prices due to supply shortage. But that will change too, when supply increases to 500 truckloads at least, claim traders. R Babu, a retail trader at Koyambedu market said, “Prices will drop further by 10-20% from next week. From Saturday onwards, we witnessed 90% of brisk sale after prices reduced. Even the wastage of vegetables has come down drastically.”