CHENNAI: As Chennai went under an intense lockdown on Sunday, prices of vegetables in the retail markets doubled with tomato, potato and onions have burnt a hole in the customer's pockets. To add to the woes, over the last 20 days, prices of vegetables like beans, cluster beans and coriander have also increased.
The traders at the vegetable market here in Alandur, which primarily caters to the residents of Madipakkam, Nanganallur, Adambakkam and Keezhakatalai, say that transportation cost and less arrivals at Thirumazhaisai wholesale market has led to the increase in prices of vegetables. Tomato at the retail price was being sold at Rs 45-50 per kilogram, while it was only Rs 20 a week ago. One kg of garlic cost Rs 300 at the wholesale rate in Thirumazhaisai while beans were priced at Rs 130.
The wholesale market prices are considerably high and increase when it is moved to retail markets, say the traders.
Potato that was earlier selling at Rs 35 was being sold at Rs 50-55. The arrival of vehicles from other districts have considerably reduced at the Thirumazhaisai market resulting in the price rise.
"The demand for vegetables is always high during weekends and even prices of herbs like coriander and mint escalate. A bunch of coriander leaves were sold at Rs 35, which were only Rs 10 last week," says G Moorthy, a vegetable wholesaler vendor in Alandur market.
He further added that 50 kilograms of onion are hovering at Rs 8000-9000 level, which is expected to come down in the following weeks. Also, not many retailers in the city are picking vegetables here in the new wholesale market resulting in several tonnes of veggies going to waste, lament the traders.
"Lorries arriving from districts and other states are considerably less due to the lockdown restrictions and the rains," said N Kirubakaran, a wholesale trader at the Thirumazhaisai market.
However, vegetables such as brinjal, radish, chow chow, beetroot and pumpkins were sold at lesser rates, which were brought by several of them. A kilogram of brinjal was selling at Rs 25 in the retail market.
The prices are expected to only go high in the following weeks expect the traders due to the onset of the Southwest monsoon in several places.