The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Soaring vegetable prices deter consumers

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Thursday, Nov 26, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Soaring vegetable prices deter consumers

K. Lakshmi

CHENNAI: Consumers are becoming frugal when it comes to shopping for vegetables these days, due to the spiralling prices. It has led to a strain in the budget of many households, forcing people to cut down quantity of consumption.

R. Jamuna, a resident of Ashok Nagar, said, “My weekly budget for vegetables has doubled by Rs.200 in the past few days. I avoid buying expensive vegetables but it is now difficult to make choices as most of them are priced high.” Earlier, shopkeepers used to give mint leaves and coriander free of cost. Customers now have to shell out Rs.2, she said.

Several of them complain that the prices go up whenever there is a crisis, be it lorry strike or rainfall, and do not drop later.

The rate of onions has increased steeply due to rains in the States, including Maharashtra. One kg of onions cost Rs.28 in the wholesale market and is sold for Rs.35 in retail. Staple vegetables such as tomatoes and potatoes cost Rs.14 a kg and Rs.18 a kg at the wholesale market. Beans, which cost Rs.24 a kg in the Koyambedu market, are sold for Rs. 40 in the retail shops. Similarly, brinjal and bitter gourd are sold for Rs.30 a kg in the retail market. Wholesale traders in Koyambedu said a bunch of greens that was sold for Rs.5 until last month is now sold for Rs.8 to Rs.10. V.R.Soundararajan, a member of Market Management Committee, said rains in States that supply produce to the city has led to dip in arrivals.

“Even if the wholesale market receives sufficient quantity of vegetables, the quality often is poor,” he said. The cost of vegetables would remain high till January. One kg of organically cultivated onions is priced up to Rs.40. V.Sastha Saravanakumar, who sells organic vegetables, said such produce are normally expensive due to higher production cost and transportation charges. The rate of organic produce has also gone up by Rs.5.

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