CHENNAI: The prices of vegetables, especially that of tomatoes, have gone up at Koyambedu wholesale markets and retail outlets in the city, as the vegetable supply has dropped in the recent days.
Tomatoes, which were selling at Rs 35/kg in retail markets, are now priced between Rs 50 and Rs 70. The traders at Koyambedu said prices are likely to remain high until the end of summer.
M Thiagarajan, a member of the Koyambedu Vegetable, Fruit and Flower Sellers Welfare Association, said the inflow of tomatoes has declined to 500 tonnes a day from 700 tonnes.
“The inflow is expected to remain low till the end of summer and the prices may stay around Rs 50 or rise further unless there is a significant harvest in supply areas,” he said, adding the tomatoes mainly arrive from Karnataka and AP. On Thursday, the wholesale price was Rs 40 per kg, he said.
The prices of several other vegetables, including carrot, beans, chow chow, cabbage and bitter gourd, have also increased. Carrot price has risen from Rs 40 per kg to Rs 60, beans from Rs 50 to Rs 60-70, and radish from Rs 20 to Rs 30 at Koyambedu retail market.
However, prices of onion, potato, mango and drumstick are relatively low. Onion is priced at around Rs 30 per kg, while potato costs Rs 15-20 per kg. “The increase in prices of these vegetables has been moderate as demand from hotels has dropped significantly due to the LPG shortage. ” another trader said.