Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

State-run shops come to aid of vegetable buyers

MONEY-SAVER: People buying vegetables from a co-operative store in Madurai. —

MADURAI: Timely intervention of the Department of Cooperation in opening vegetable retail outlets at several vantage points in the city seems to be working in favour of consumers and vegetable-growers.

Prices of vegetables had started coming down owing to steady arrivals from different places, officials said here on Monday.

After the prices of onions — Bellary and small onions — touched a new high, there was a hue and cry among people. In January, while many did not buy onions at all, some others bought it in small quantities.

The price of small onions in ‘uzhavar sandhais' during January first week was Rs. 44 per kg while Bellary onions were sold at Rs. 60. In the second week, it went up to Rs. 46 and Rs. 60 respectively. In the third week, it was Rs. 50 and Rs. 60 respectively.

During the fourth week, the price of both varieties remained at Rs. 50. In the first week of February, it was sold at Rs. 36 – Rs. 45 (small), and Rs. 20 – Rs. 26 (Bellary), depending on the quality, officials said.

While many factors are being attributed to the fall in prices, Collector C. Kamaraj told The Hindu that it was the timely intervention of the Department of Cooperation which arrested the price-rise. “The plan to procure directly from the fields of vegetable-growers by making cash payments through primary agricultural cooperative banks is working well. Steady arrivals have brought down the prices. We will open more such outlets as they help a large number of people,” he said.

Officials at ‘sandhais' said that prices of tomato had also come down from Rs. 40 per kg (in January first week) to Rs. 18 in February first week. Similarly, brinjal, which was sold at Rs. 14–Rs. 26 per kg last month, is available at Rs. 12– Rs. 20.

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