VEGETABLE PRICES SOAR

Vegetable prices have sharply increased during the past few days after it became mandatory to pack vegetables in plastic crates and the severe drought that is prevailing in some vegeta- blegrowing areas, traders said yesterday.

A kilo of tomatoes, carrots, beans and green chilies were priced at Rs.180, Rs.120, Rs.130 and Rs.280 respectively at the Colombo Manning Market

Wholesale traders also warned that vegetable prices were bound to increase during the next few months because of the prevailing conditions.The Dambulla Economic Centre Traders’ Association said after the distribution of water through the Mahaweli programme was stopped, farmers were finding it extremely difficult to meet the demand for vegetables.

“There is no water in the area, therefore whatever was there in the farmlands have been wasted because the vegetables were not ready for harvesting,” Association Secretary I. G Wijenanda said.

Meanwhile, wholesale traders in Colombo said extra transportation costs were added to the existing high prices. They complained of the doubling of expenses during trans- portation and said customers were unwilling to pay the extra price.

“We have to use two lorries now instead of one to transport the same amount of vegetables, we also have to buy plastic crates for which we have to pay extra,” Manning Market Public Traders Association Vice President, Nimal Attanayke said.

He said though the drought situation had not affected them yet, it was the new transportation regulations that were causing problems. “Some vegetables have also increased in price because farmers stopped cultivating them when prices dropped but that has changed now that there is a scarcity in the market,” Mr. Attanayake said.

Meanwhile food outlet owners complained they were facing losses as they had to bear the additional cost or increase food prices.“We have increased

Some vegetables have also increased in price because farmers stopped cultivating them when prices dropped but that has changed now that there is a scarcity in the market,”

food prices and that has reduced our business to some extent,” W.A.V. Udayasiri said adding that prices had not been increased initially they were now forced to do so after facing losses.

Some food outlet owners said they had not increased prices and as a result losing out on their sales. They said if prices rose further they too would have to increase prices.

Chanaka, an owner of a food outlet said the scarcity of vegetables and the packing in plastic crates was the reason for sky rocketing prices.

Sithara, a housewife said they had reduced the buying of some vegetables as the prices had increased during the past few weeks.“The prices of potatoes, carrots and even capsicum has increased during the past few weeks and we are finding it hard to cope, as the income that we receive has not increased,” she said.