Vegetable prices dip at Koyambedu wholesale market

CHENNAI: As vegetable production increased in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states due to intense showers over the past few weeks, the supply surged at the Koyambedu wholesale market on Saturday bringing down the prices.

Currently, all vegetables are sold between Rs 10 and Rs 30 per kg. Compared to last year, the rates have reduced by 50% during the northeast monsoon, traders said.

“Vegetable prices usually surge during the northeast monsoon, due to a shortage in supply from southern states. The price of majority of vegetables was between Rs 30 and Rs 60 per kg. But now, we’re receiving 700 truckloads of vegetables against its usual 500. So, prices decreased,” explained R Muthukumar, a semi-wholesale trader at Koyambedu market.

The city requires 5,000-6,000 tonnes of vegetables daily, and the market receives additional 1,500 tonnes. Due to a fall in prices, sales were brisk, but the wastage had increased to one tonne daily. Unsold vegetables from the market are distributed to orphanages, old age homes, and mentally retarded homes in the city.

However, prices at city retail shops increased by 10-20% despite dip in wholesale rates. Ganesh, a vendor at Purasawakkam, said: “After perishable commodity prices decreased, we had a brisk sale and no wastage in recent days.”