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What do Chennai residents do now due to the steep rise in the prices of vegetables & fruits?
Posted on: 20/May/2022 9:26:31 AM
The steep rise in the prices of vegetables and fruits prices has affected the residents belonging to Chennai. It might not be possible for the Chennai residents to buy all the vegetables they desire. In this scenario, nutrition has taken a back seat now. It is now said that the residents are now rethinking using even staple vegetables and they are changing menus to manage the cost overruns.
As per a resident from Nungambakkam it was clear that she had no other option except to cut down the purchase of vegetables and fruits. By this, she would be able to manage other expenses like transport, rent and medicals etc. She added that she cooked side dishes for a few days in a week.
The Covid-19 infection pandemic has been very severe on many families in Chennai and many have lost their jobs etc. The Chennai residents have been trying many ways to make both ends meet. The residents now buy lesser amounts of vegetables and save money. Not only vegetables, fruits have also become costly now and the residents select those fruits that are of low cost.
A Mogappair resident expressed his thoughts and spoke about how he plans menus according to the money that has been available with him. He threw light on how the shop that sells vegetables at a cheap rate was preferred. The summer fruit drink lemonade has become out of reach for many residents due to its high cost.
In the wholesale market, this lemon is priced at Rs 120/ kg and at retail stores it is priced at Rs 160/kg. The traders have mentioned inflation and high fuel cost plus heavy unseasonal rains and a mismatch between high demand and supply as various factors responsible for the rise in the cost.
It was later brought out by Mr. P. Sukumaran, vegetable wholesaler at Koyambedu market that as the price of some vegetables goes up other alternative vegetables too have become expensive. He cited the example of the price of beans that have increased and how this has also led to increase in the price of broad beans and brinjals etc. It must be noted that the transporters have increased the charges by Rs 5 to Rs 10 per bag.
Point is that there might be slight variation in the prices of vegetables in cities like Trichy, Madurai etc depending on the proximity to the crop production areas. The good news is that the prices would come down in another 2 weeks and this was according to some traders. Some nutritionists are unhappy regarding poor nutrition now as the residents opt for cheap priced vegetables and fruits. A famous dietician pointed out how dietary diversity is very important now.
