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Vegetable prices to rise further due to fuel prices

23 Dec 2021

BY Buddhika Samaraweera Traders have pointed out that vegetable prices, which have risen exponentially due to the Government’s now lifted ban on the importation of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, could increase further due to the recent increase in fuel prices. Speaking to the media yesterday (22), Peliyagoda Manning Market Wholesale Association Deputy Chairman Prabath Susantha stated that the increase in fuel prices would definitely lead to an increase in vegetable prices. “The increase in fuel prices is affecting farmers. At the same time, those who provide transport facilities say that transport fares should be increased. If this continues, there will be no way to bring vegetables to Colombo,” he said. According to the data available on the Central Bank of Sri Lanka’s (CBSL) website, as of yesterday, the wholesale price of a kilogramme (kg) of beans in the Manning Market was priced at Rs. 415, a kg of carrot at Rs. 325, a kg of cabbage at Rs. 240, a kg of tomato at Rs. 290, a kg of eggplant at Rs. 350, a kg of pumpkin at Rs. 60, a kg of snake gourd at Rs. 260, a kg of green chillie at Rs. 675, and a kg of lime at Rs. 155. In addition, the wholesale prices of vegetables at the Dambulla Dedicated Economic Centre were Rs. 315 per kg of beans, Rs. 295 per kg of carrot, Rs. 195 per kg of cabbage, Rs. 275 per kg of tomato, Rs. 275 per kg of eggplant, Rs. 75 per kg of pumpkin, Rs. 215 per kg of snake gourd, Rs. 625 per kg of green chillie, and Rs. 115 per kg of lime. The retail prices at Pettah were Rs. 475 per kg of beans, Rs. 375 per kg of carrot, Rs. 290 per kg of cabbage, Rs. 330 per kg of tomato, Rs. 390 per kg of eggplant, Rs. 80 per kg of pumpkin, Rs. 300 per kg of snake gourd, Rs. 750 per kg of green chillie and Rs. 200 per kg of lime. The highest retail prices were recorded from the Narahenpita Economic Centre. Accordingly, the retail price of a kg of beans was priced at Rs. 480, a kg of carrot at Rs. 480, a kg of cabbage at Rs. 460, a kg of tomato at Rs. 400, a kg of eggplant at Rs. 400, a kg of pumpkin at Rs. 100, a kg of snake gourd at Rs. 360, a kg of green chillie at Rs. 900, and a kg of lime at Rs. 375. Earlier this month, vegetable traders told The Morning that the prices of vegetables in economic centres islandwide have risen sharply, while their quality has significantly dropped in the absence of fertilisers and pesticides. They said, however, that the quality of vegetables delivered to the market has dropped by as much as 75%.


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