Due to sharp increase in the arrival of vegetables to the Uzhavar Sandhai at Sampath Nagar in the city, prices have dropped significantly here on Saturday when compared to past weeks.
As many as 134 shops function at the shandy from 4.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. every day and farmers across the district bring their produce and sell it directly to the consumers. Rain in November and December affected the cultivated crops that led to drop in arrival of vegetables to the shandy. Since harvesting of vegetables has begun in the past three weeks, farmers started bringing their produce, leading to drop in the prices of vegetables.
While most of the vegetables arrive from the Perundurai block, bananas arrive from Kodumudi and Bhavani blocks, while other vegetables arrive from Chennimalai and Erode blocks. “The price of brinjal touched ₹ 100 a kg last month and now it’s ₹ 45 a kg”, said a farmer from Perundurai. While tomato is sold at ₹ 15 a kg, ladies finger is sold at ₹ 15 a kg and small onion around ₹ 40 a kg. “The prices had dropped by atleast 40% in the past three weeks”, said another farmer from Kodumudi. Drumstick was sold at ₹ 300 a kg last month and due to increase in arrival, prices dropped to ₹ 150 a kg.
Due to the intense cold and spread of COVID-19, many farmers aged over 60 keep them away from the market and sell their produce locally. Though TNSTC buses were operated regularly to the market to transport vegetables, many farmers fear of the spread of virus and stay indoors. Hence, two-wheelers are the only mode of transport that is currently used by farmers to transport their produce, according to an official at the shandy. Since paddy harvesting has commenced and new crops are expected to be cultivated in the coming weeks, the price of vegetables will remain low till April, the official added.
