Vegetable prices plummet at wholesale markets in Coimbatore

Vegetable prices plummet in Coimbatore wholesale markets, prompting calls for government support and export encouragement.

Vegetable prices have slumped at the wholesale markets in Coimbatore city with higher arrivals.

The MGR market is said to have received nearly 1,000 tonnes of big onion on Monday. The wholesale prices slumped to ₹15 a kg from almost ₹35 a kg a couple of days ago. “There are no takers when the prices fall every day. So there are stocks with the traders,” said one of the wholesale traders at the market.

The price of big onion went up to ₹20 a kg on Tuesday, though onions were available for ₹12 a kg too. Prices of almost all the vegetables - tomatoes, gourds, and garlic were very low.

According to M. Rajendran, president of the TK market wholesale vegetable traders association, the government should support farmers with infrastructure to store the vegetables and reduce wastages. It should also encourage exports. Big onions were reaching the wholesale markets in Maharashtra and Karnataka and the farmers were not getting viable prices, he said.

Mr. Rajendran also sought measures to expedite approvals for a private wholesale vegetable market planned at Ettimadai in Coimbatore.