Chennai's Essential Vegetable Trio Maintains Low Price Streak
In Chennai, the fundamental ingredients of south Indian cuisine—onions, tomatoes, and potatoes—have consistently retailed below 35 rupees per kilogram at most city stores for almost three weeks. Vendors anticipate this price stability to persist for several more weeks, offering relief to consumers amid broader economic fluctuations.
Wholesale Market Offers Significant Discounts
At the Koyambedu wholesale market, the cost drops dramatically, with premium quality onions, tomatoes, and potatoes selling for as low as 15 rupees per kg during peak hours and 12 rupees later in the day. Ram Mohan, a senior vendor at NRC Agro, highlighted, "We refer to them as OTP veggies. They serve as the benchmark for vegetable pricing due to their extensive production and consumption patterns."
Factors Driving the Price Decline
The sustained low prices in retail outlets are attributed to abundant supply and subdued demand. For instance, tomatoes are currently sourced from multiple districts across Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. A Selvaraj, General Secretary of the Koyambedu Wholesale Market Tomato Merchants Association, explained, "Farm prices for a 25-kg box of tomatoes range from 100 to 150 rupees, depending on quality. Wholesale rates per kilogram vary between 10 and 15 rupees."
Retail vendors in the market typically sell tomatoes for 15 to 18 rupees per kg, while most supermarkets and vegetable shops charge around 35 rupees. Online platforms list them between 25 and 30 rupees, with organic tomatoes reaching up to 60 rupees per kg.
Detailed Price Breakdown Across Vegetables
Similarly, onions from Maharashtra and northern Karnataka are available at wholesale for 10 to 12 rupees per kg and retail for 15 to 18 rupees. Most retailers previously sold them for 25 to 28 rupees, but e-commerce vendors now offer them at 20 to 25 rupees.
Potatoes from Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are priced under 15 rupees per kg. V R Sounderrajan, a senior vendor, noted, "Ideally, wholesale prices should be at least 30 rupees per kg. Currently, they are less than half that amount. The harvest has been excellent, leading to a flood of vegetables in the market, yet sales remain sluggish."
Impact of Reduced Demand on the Market
The demand downturn is exacerbated by several factors. Many small hotels have closed, and larger establishments have limited their menus due to LPG shortages. Sounderrajan added, "This period is not conducive for weddings, and several temple managements have reduced prasadam offerings. Collectively, these elements have significantly dampened demand."
Most other vegetables in Chennai are also retailing below 50 rupees per kg, further illustrating the broader trend of affordable produce in the city's markets.
