After a long period, prices of some English vegetables and select fruits went up ‘steeply' in ‘uzhavar sandhais' and wholesale vegetable market and retail stores here on Wednesday.
According to frequent visitors, the price of beans, which was till recently around Rs. 24 and 30 per kg, raised steeply to Rs. 45 and Rs. 50 a kg. Similarly, field bean (avarai) and a few other English vegetables were available only at high prices. Onion (Rs. 10-12) and potato (Rs. 14-16) were, however, being sold at the usual price but for marginal fluctuation. Interestingly, the price of drumstick was at Rs 1.50 and Rs 2 a piece, which was pretty low as the commodity was selling at Rs. 4 and even Rs. 5 a few weeks ago. As for the rates of fruits like apple, farmers at the uzhavar sandhais in the city said that due to less arrival than the usual volume, the price was up by 30 per cent. However, water melon was available at Rs. 8 -10 per piece. A vegetable vendor at the wholesale vegetable market attributed the sudden rise in price of English vegetables to bulk purchase made by private persons in rural pockets. Temple festivals are being organised in many hamlets and for this purpose, organisers purchase vegetables in bulk. Moreover, tomorrow being ‘Panguni ‘uthiram,' more feasts are being organised, the vendors maintained. In fact, prices of a few more vegetables including tomatoes are likely to go up in the next couple of days, they added.
Officials at the Agricultural Marketing Committee and ‘uzhavar sandhais' said that the sudden rise in the vegetable price would not last long and normal rates would prevail soon. However, they apprehended shrinking of cultivable area of vegetables due to the onset of summer.