Onion prices are on the rise again in the Koyambedu wholesale market.
A kg of onions that sold at Rs.45 in the wholesale market on Saturday were priced at Rs.60 a kg on Tuesday. Prices of small onions also rose marginally and were selling at Rs.50 a kg.
Following onions, tomatoes are also turning dearer. The staple vegetable, which was sold for Rs.35 a kg on Saturday, was priced at Rs.40 on Tuesday in the wholesale market. The retail prices of onions and tomatoes were between Rs.65 and Rs.70 in many localities.
Vendors at the Koyambedu market said onion prices, which touched Rs.100 a week ago, started coming down following the arrival of fresh stock from Maharashtra. Since Monday, most of the produce from Maharashtra is diverted to other markets across the country. The city now depends on the supplies from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. On Tuesday, it received 45 lorry loads of onions against the usual supply of 70 lorries from the three States.
Crop failure in Andhra Pradesh and the Karnataka region led to an increase in the cost of tomatoes, they added.
Many vegetables that are usually cheaper during this season have also become expensive. While brinjals cost around Rs.30 a kg, cabbage and bitter gourd were priced at Rs.13 and Rs.28 a kg respectively.
Potatoes (Rs.15 a kg) and beetroot (Rs.16/kg) are among the vegetables that remain affordable. Vendors complained that sales have also dipped as many customers have started curtailing their purchases by as much as 50 per cent.
