Chennai: With vegetable prices reaching new peaks, a respite from price rise may remain a distant dream until the monsoon sets in. Going by the latest rates at Koyambedu market, the prices of most vegetables have gone up by 25-30 per cent. Some of them have even doubled in the past 45 days.
The primary reason for the rise in prices is the excessive heat in most of the vegetable-producing districts of the southern states and the hike in fuel prices which triggered increase in freight
charges.“Compared to last year, this time there was excessive heat and unexpected rains in districts such as Villupuram and Vellore, place such s V. Kote and Hosur, and in Andhra. This led to a price rise last month,” said V.R. Soundararajan, adviser,. Koyambedu vegetable market wholesale oroducts association.
Last month, arrival of vegetables at the Koyambedu market dipped to 2,800-3,500 tonnes per day, against 4,500 tonnes in February and March. Truck owners say the increase in diesel prices left them with no option but to hike freight rates by 10-15 per cent. The vegetable varieties that saw prices go up by nearly double include bittergourd that rose to Rs 40 per kg from Rs20, brinjal, to Rs40 per kg from Rs20, snake gourd to Rs40 per kg from Rs15, as also carrot.
