The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Showers, poor yield make vegetables dear

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 04, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Showers, poor yield make vegetables dear

Staff Reporter

Approaching monsoon, festive season will keep prices high

Prices of staple vegetables at Koyambedu might not come down for another two months

CHENNAI: Showers and poor harvest in the States from where the Koyambedu wholesale market draws its supply has had a strong influence on the prices of staple vegetables over the past two months.

The cost of commonly used vegetables such as onions (Rs.15-Rs.17 a kg) and potatoes (Rs.13 per kg) remain high, as on Tuesday.

Vendors noted that the rain and poor yields in the States, particularly Karnataka and Maharashtra, supplying to the market had led to a sharp increase in their prices.

Green peas and broad beans are the other vegetables that cost more, Rs.35 and Rs.18 per kg respectively, owing to lower arrivals from Udhagamandalam and Bangalore.

However, the decline in the price of tomatoes a kg from Rs.15 a few weeks ago to Rs.8 now and the affordable prices of seasonal vegetables are bound to cheer customers.

Vegetables such as cabbage and radish are sold at Rs. 3 per kg.

While cauliflower, green chillies, snake gourd and beetroot are priced at Rs.6 a kg, the cost of yam ranges between Rs.6 and Rs. 8 owing to an increase in the arrivals.

Drumsticks and carrots are priced at Rs.15 and Rs.10 a kg respectively.

The cost of lady’s fingers has seen a marginal increase from Rs.6 to Rs.8 in two weeks.

The wholesale price of brinjals is Rs.8 per kg.

Vendors at the Koyambedu wholesale market said the prices of staple vegetables might not come down for another two months.

They cited the approaching monsoon and the festive season as the reasons for the likely uptrend in prices.

The retail rate of the vegetables would be more by a minimum of Rs.5. Cauliflowers are sold at Rs.15 a kg and onions at Rs.20, they added.

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