Prices of vegetables dip in city, to stabilise from next week
As prices have reduced drastically compared to the last two months, there is an increase in wastage, especially tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumber
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CHENNAI: Vegetable prices continue to drop across the city due to adequate supply from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka on Monday.
The prices are likely to remain stable or further decrease by 10-15% from next week due to third-crop cultivation, traders said.
“Due to intense rainfall in the neighbouring states, crops were damaged, and this led to a surge in the prices in the past. Now, the situation has normalised and the volume of vegetables increased with 450 vehicles arriving at the market.
Production has increased too during the third crop cultivation this year. After the prices reduced (compared to previous week), sales also improved this month,” said P Sukumaran, secretary of the Koyambedu Wholesale Merchants’ Association.
“As prices have reduced drastically compared to the last two months, there is an increase in wastage, especially tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumber and bottle gourd.
However, other vegetables are sold at very low prices – Rs 10-20 per kg – in the evening. Without proper storage facilities, prices are expected to surge during the monsoon season,” said R Muthu, another trader at the market.
Similarly, price has dropped even at the retail shops in the city. Perishable commodities are sold with a small margin Rs 10/kg compared to the wholesale rates.
However, the price of ginger continues to soar to Rs 200 per kg due to a shortage in supply from Kerala.
Wholesale price/kgBoxBeans, broad beans – Rs 60-70 eachBoxCarrots Rs 20-25 BoxOnions Rs 30 BoxPotatoes Rs 20 BoxTomatoes Rs 15 BoxGreen chilies Rs 40 BoxPeas Rs 150.