Express Message Service
CHENNAI- Vegetable prices at Koyambedu vegetable wholesale market in Chennai have hit rock bottom, tomatoes are selling as cheap as Rs 7 per kg. Prices have been falling for three weeks now and traders said it will remain so for at least a month due to the continued spike in the arrival of vegetables at the market.
After heavy rains in November and December destroyed vegetable crops in several areas of the state, vegetable prices had risen and tomatoes were even selling for 140 rupees per kg. The current wholesale price is only 5 percent of that.
P. Thiyagarajan, one of the association leaders at the market, said, “After rain damage drove up prices, farmers planted vegetables on large areas. Having enough water available also helped them get a good harvest. The number of trucks bringing vegetables to market has increased from 300 to 600 every day. 6,000 tons of vegetables are currently arriving.”
The drop in prices on the market is also clearly noticeable for other vegetables. Drumstick which was sold at Rs 300 per kg two months ago and Rs 100 per kg two weeks ago is now being sold at Rs 60.
Onions and small onions are sold for around 25-30 rupees per kg; Potato at Rs 22; Hyderabad carrot at Rs 25; ladies fingers at Rs 20; beetroot, eggplant, chayote and radish at Rs 10; French beans, cabbage, yam and German turnips for 15 rupees; snake gourd and bottle gourd at Rs 8; green peas and beans at Rs 30
However, mangoes and green chillies are inexpensive in the market and have been sold for Rs 60-70 and Rs 40-50 respectively. VR Soundararajan, an association leader, said: “The mango season has not started and most of it is now coming from AP. The price is expected to drop in a few weeks.”
Rs 140 per kilo
was the tomato price at the Koyambedu market after the heavy rains in November
