CHENNAI: Onions and tomatoes have now become a luxury for Chennaites now as the prices have crossed Rs 50 mark for some varieties of the crops in the Koyambedu wholesale market and traders claim the prices could remain higher due to lack of supplies.
Traders at Koyambedu Wholesale market, which sells three varieties of onions --- Andhra, Bangalore and Nasik --- said that prices of onions have gone up due to less availability of crops. The price of Andhra
Onion onion which was selling at Rs 30 to Rs 35 per kg has gone up to Rs 40 to Rs 50 per kg while that of Bangalore onions, which were sold less than Rs 45, is Rs 60 now and Nasik onions, which was priced around Rs 60, is now Rs 70 per kg.
S Chandran, Market management Committee Licensed Merchants Association President and Anaithu Sangankalin Kootamaipu general secretary, told The New Indian Express that the onion prices will remain in this range due to short supply of the commodities. Currently, we are getting only 40 truckloads of onion and around 30 to 35 truckloads of tomatoes.
Chandran blamed the recent rains in Karnataka, Andhra and Tamil Nadu as a reason for the shortage of Onions and Tomatoes in Koyambedu Bhaskar, an Onion trader, said that traders who have been selling
onions from Andhra are now looking at Vijaywada market where the prices offered is Rs 50 per kg. There is a fear that Andhra Onion prices are also expected to soar.
He said the fresh weather alert in Maharashtra could also upset onion prices as already the onions production from the state has declined due to earlier floods. Traders also said the quality of stocks at Koyambedu market is of poor quality. "We got nearly one lack sacks of which 50 per cent is rotten," said a trader.
Similar is the story of tomatoes. Koyambedu Vegetable, Fruits and Flower Merchant association president Thiagarajan said that the price of tomatoes have gone up to Rs 45 to Rs 55 per kg due to shortage of
supplies.
Thiagarajan also said that the Online stores are also adding to the misery as they are buying the crop directly from the farmers as such there is a short supply of vegetables. he also said due to rains, tomato crops got destroyed as such it also resulted in a shortage of supply. When asked whether the prices will dwindle by this week, the traders said the prices will continue to be at the same range.