Wholesale vegetable prices in Coimbatore have fallen sharply in the last four days.
According to the wholesale traders, the prices started falling a day after the four-day total lockdown in the city. Carrot prices ranged between ₹15 to ₹ 20 a kg, cabbage ₹5, brinjal ₹6 and bottle gourd ₹6 a kg. Small onion prices were ₹40 a kg (new arrivals).
The traders said that though arrivals to the market had reduced, the demand was also down because hotels were shut and vegetable movement to Kerala was not permitted. So there was no issue of shortage. The arrivals were relatively high this year and demand remained low. Hence, the prices had fallen, the sources said.
A recent trend was several people came to the markets and bought vegetables to sell in their neighbourhoods. This was a welcome move as people coming to the market reduced, the traders said.
The Thyagi Kumaran market vegetable traders requested Minister SP Velumani on Monday to permit them to start selling from the market instead of the bus stands where the sellers had set shop temporarily.