Soaring vegetable prices burden consumers, small onions touch Rs 200

Thiruvananthapuram: Hunderd grams of green chillies costs Rs 29, a kilo of small onions at Rs 200 and tomatoes are at Rs 110... the prices of vegetables are soaring. In markets, retail outlets and supermarkets, there is no rationale in fixing prices.

At Horticorp too, most of the vegetables are priced similar to the general market.

The price increases every year in the months of November-December. However, this time the price of veggies started increasing from the beginning of June itself.

Prices of many vegetables have more than doubled during the past two weeks.

As the prices went up, wholesalers also reduced imports. Due to this, vegetables are not available on demand causing further increase in prices.

At Horticorp, coming under the state government's agriculture department, chillies, beans, ginger and garlic are all priced above Rs 100. The daily load of vegetables in Chalai, the main market in Thiruvananthapuram, is also less.

Earlier 25 loads would reach the market which now has reduced to 10 loads. Traders said that there has been a decrease in the supply of vegetables due to decrease in sales.

Loads coming from Ooty too have come down.