With arrival of vegetables to the wholesale market on the rise, price of vegetables has dropped significantly when compared to the past weeks here on Wednesday.
After Section 144 was clamped in the district on March 24, movement of lorries, vans and other four-wheelers transporting vegetables to the Nethaji Daily Vegetable and Fruit Market stopped completely pushing the price of vegetables. In the last week of March, tomato was sold between ₹ 40 to 50 a kg while price of other essential vegetables also were up by 30% to 50% than the normal price. Panic buying by people in the initial stage of lockdown also resulted in the increase in the price of vegetables which started to reduce after transportation of agriculture produce was allowed.
On Wednesday, the wholesale price of 14 kg box of tomato stood at ₹ 80 while the price of brinjal was between ₹ 18 and ₹ 25 a kg and onion ₹ 20 to ₹ 25 a kg. Traders at the wholesale market, which currently functions at Corporations Central Bus Stand, said that after vehicles were allowed to transport vegetables, prices started to drop. “Demand remains the same, but now the supply is more”, they added. Another trader Murugan said that the price of fruits has gone up in the past two weeks due to increase in demand. There is a good demand for orange which is sold at ₹ 60 to ₹ 80 a kg which used to be sold at ₹ 40 a kg earlier, he added.