COVID-19: Vegetable prices expected to soar as Chennai vegetable hub closes shops

Chennai: M Ramesh Kumar, Koyambedu Vegetable Market Association President, informed on Friday of the possibility that the price of vegetables and fruits rise as nearly 2000 vegetable and fruit shops are likely to be closed at Koyambedu, Chennai's largest vegetable market, given the Covid restrictions. However, wholesale shops shall continue to function in the market which receives 550 to 600 trucks per day.

"There are 1,960 vegetable shops in Koyambedu market, and hardly 200 will function, which will lead to huge crowds in the remaining shops. We were not consulted on any alternate place for conducting business," says SS Muthukumar, President of the Koyambedu Semi-Wholesale Vegetable Traders Association. As per Semi-Wholesale Vegetable Traders Association, over 10,000 may lose their jobs as well. Though a meeting was held with Housing and Urban development department officials, it did not yield any positive results.

Presently, Chennai has recorded the lowest prices for vegetables which the consumers are concerned would be pushed up with the shutdown of retail shops.