13 January 2020 12:09 pm
The prices of vegetables soared high due to the unprecedented rains across the island during the last season, the All Island Unified Economic Centres and Manning Market Traders Union (AIUECMMTU) said.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror, the Union’s National Organiser H.M. Upasena said the reason for the present vegetable price increase couldn’t be blamed on any person –especially, the government.
“There is a shortage of carrot and leeks in the market,” he said.
"In previous seasons, the rainfall was balanced and didn’t affect the crop, but the recent rain occurred once all around the country," he said.
"I have never seen such vegetable price rise during the past forty years of my life,” he said.
“It will take time for the prices to return to normal. For that, we have to wait at least another three weeks to see a small change on the prices," he added.
"A slight decrease was shown due to less consuming vegetables by people. If people consume more vegetables the prices would be much higher than the present prices," Mr Upasena said.
“People should take measures to consume alternative vegetables such as dhal, potatoes, big onions and dried fish as their prices have not changed,”
“The Government, however, had managed to import potatoes and big onions to control the price increase,” he said.
The retail prices of a kilo of selected food commodities in Pettah as follows:
Beans- Rs. 383, Carrot - Rs.392- Cabbage- Rs.179, Tomatoes -Rs.175, Brinjal -Rs.365, Snake Gourd - Rs.190, Red Onion (local)-Rs.590.