The cost of onion, which was ruling high until a few weeks ago, has dipped to ₹35 a kg in the city’s wholesale market. On Friday, most vegetables were priced 30% cheaper, compared to the last month, due to better arrivals and fewer takers.
Fresh arrivals from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh to the city, over the past few days, have begun to stabilise the price of onions, that hit a record price of ₹160 a kg, last month. The wholesale market in Koyambedu has been receiving about 40 vehicles of onions, daily, since Tuesday. Similarly, small onions are sold for ₹60-70 a kg now — nearly half its price in December.
However, traders note that sales have not picked up since Pongal. Though arrivals to the market and quality of the produce are slowly improving, sales have been sluggish, and have dipped by 20%, as there are not enough takers.
Wholesale prices of many vegetables now remain within ₹30 a kg. A few other staples vegetables, such as potato and tomato, are priced at ₹20 a kg and ₹15 a kg, respectively, due to better yield.
V.R. Soundararajan, advisor, Koyambedu Wholesale Traders’ Welfare Association, said several other vegetables, that are usually costly, such as beans, carrots and ginger, are also affordable. “The market is yet to make brisk sales, as customers are buying less, for want of cash,” he said.
Drumsticks and coconuts, are among the expensive vegetables at the market. While drumsticks are sold up to ₹120 a kg, coconuts are priced between ₹22-34 a piece, as they are out of season. “We are getting drumsticks from Gujarat. We expect the cost to come down by next month, when stock from Tamil Nadu begins to arrive. The same price is set to continue for two more months,” he added.
