MADURAI: Commodity prices in Madurai district have gone up by Rs 2-5 following the recent hike in fuel prices. Over 60% of vegetables and food grains consumed in Madurai are sourced from neighbouring districts and other states. The increase in diesel and petrol prices has already started reflecting in logistics expenses, with vegetable and food grain prices going up by around 5%, said traders and market sources. The president of the Paravai Market Traders Association V Jayaraman said any increase in fuel prices will have a cascading impact on vegetable prices as transportation costs form a major component in the supply chain.
He pointed out that a 30 to 40-tonne truck carrying vegetables from northern states now attracts an additional cost of nearly Rs 5,000 depending on distance and load.
He said onions are largely procured from Maharashtra, while potatoes and other tubers are transported from Agra, Delhi and Kanpur. Tomatoes are sourced from Theni, Cumbum and parts of Andhra Pradesh, while cauliflower consignments arrive from regions around Oddanchatram. Around 40 heavy vehicles carrying onions and potatoes alone reach the Paravai wholesale market every day, he added.
Echoing similar concern, N Chinnamayan, president of the Mattuthavani Central Vegetable Market Traders Association, said vegetable prices have already increased by Rs 5 to Rs 10 per kilogram in the market. He added that compared to the last three weeks the price has increased: for instance, onion prices rose from Rs 30-65 per kg to Rs 50-60 per kg, while small onion prices increased from Rs 40-60 to Rs 50-70 per kg. Potato prices surged from Rs 20-30 per kg to Rs 25-50 per kg. Likewise, all vegetable prices have notably increased.
SVSS Velshankar, president of Tamil Nadu Food Grain Merchants Association, said major food grain consignments arrive from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and other states. Logistics expenses, which were earlier around Rs 450 per quintal depending on distance, have now increased to Rs 500-520 per quintal, resulting in a Rs 2 to Rs 5 per kg increase in food grain prices in the retail market.