The Koyambedu wholesale vegetable market saw a surge in the number of visitors on Friday in view of holiday declared on Saturday for the Greater Chennai Corporation election. Traders have announced that the flower and fruits wholesale market will function on Saturday.
As more vehicles made a beeline to the vegetable market, there was traffic jam on the roads inside the complex.
G. D. Rajasekaran, president, Federation of All Vegetable Traders Associations of KWMC Periyar Market, said the market would remain closed on Saturday to enable workers cast their vote in their locality. There are about 6,000 workers in the vegetable market.
“The sales on Friday was 20% more than the daily average. But there was no increase in the prices of vegetables due to ample supply,” he said. The sales at the wholesale vegetable market, which normally closes by 7 a.m. daily, was extended till 11 a.m. on Friday.
Wholesale merchants said the market saw around 400 vegetable-laden trucks as against 370 seen usually. Similarly, nearly 5,000 vehicles of retailers entered the market.
No impact on prices
Despite the heavy rush, the prices of vegetables remained unaffected with the exception of carrots (₹100 a kg) from Udhagamandalam and capsicum (₹70-80 a kg). Carrots from Hyderabad and Malur in Karnataka cost ₹30-40 a kg at the wholesale market.
Despite the heavy rush on Friday, the prices of most vegetables remained unaffected at the Koyambedu market. | Photo Credit: K. PICHUMANI
The price of tomatoes ranged from ₹10 to ₹15 a kg. Beans were available at ₹10 to ₹20 a kg depending on the quality, said the traders.
S. Srinivasan, president, Chennai Koyambedu Fruits Commission Agents’ Association, said the fruits shops would be open on Saturday just like other election days. This would help avoid demand and rush to the market.
Association’s plea
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangankalin Peramaippu has said that the State government must allow commercial establishments to function on Saturday after staff members finish casting their votes.
Merchants have been instructed to provide leave for staff members to exercise their voting rights, said a press release.
