With a 30% drop in demand in Koyambedu, about 10% of the vegetables and flowers at the local wholesale market was wasted. Some traders took to dumping their unsold stock on the roads inside the market, some sent the stock to the bio methanation plant. Wholesalers said sales had dropped by 20%-30% as it was not a festival season and there were very few functions such as weddings organised now. Most vegetables sold between ₹20 and ₹30 a kg except for a few like carrots, which are priced ₹50 to ₹60 a kg at the wholesale market.
President S. Chandran of Koyambedu Market Licensed Merchants’ Association, told thehindu.com that the demand from commercial establishments, hotels and catering services had dropped by 50% during the pandemic. “We receive the same quantity of produce daily. We cannot keep the stock for more than one day as there will be demand for fresh stock.”
Tomato, ladies finger, cabbage and brinjal are among those sold for ₹15 a kg. A few traders had dumped tomatoes in the market as there were no takers.
[ ₹100 = €1.20 ]
