Traders said since onions and other food crops were coming in freely from Jaffna, Dambulla and other areas! Prices came down considerably..!!!

Vegetable and fish prices come down
Lakshmi de Silva

The prices of vegetables and fish at the retail markets in Pettah had come down considerably from the high prices that prevailed during the last few weeks. Most low country vegetables were sold at prices around Rs.40 – 60 per kilogram at the Manning Market yesterday while the prices of fish at the St.John’s market, Pettah had also reduced by about 30 percent it was observed yesterday.

The prices of red onions which was over Rs. 100 per kilogram during the previous weeks had come down to between Rs. 50 and 60 a kilogram.

Brinjals, batu, bandakka, pumpkin, radish, cucumber, bottle gourd, and almost all the low country vegetables except for drumsticks were sold at prices as low as Rs. 40 to 60 per kilogram yesterday at the Manning Market, Pettah.

Traders said since onions and other food crops were coming in freely from Jaffna, Dambulla and other producing areas. Prices have come down considerably.

Beet and leeks too were sold Rs. 40 to 60 a kilogram but carrots, capsicum and beans were much higher and were sold at Rs. 120 to 160 per kilogram.

The prices of all the varieties of fish had come down at St. John’s fish market Pettah except for seer.

Nicholas, a trader at the fish market for the last 50 years said stocks of fish from Jaffna were coming to Colombo now and this has resulted in an average 30 percent decrease in the prices of all varieties of fish.

Crabs were sold at Rs.150 to 200 and shrimps at Rs. 280 to 300 per kilogram respectively at the fish market but most fish vendors buy stocks and sell them at higher prices and therefore most consumers do not get price reductions due to intermediary vendors.

A kilogram of Thalapath was Rs. 520, Kelawella Rs. 480, Paraw Rs. 400, Balaya Rs. 250, Hurulla Rs. 280, Salaya (big) Rs. 150 rand the Salaya small variety was only Rs. 30 at the St Johns market.

Rambutan and Mangosteen that were in abundance during the season were sold at various prices while grapes were also sold at different prices varying from Rs. 150 to 200 for 500grams in Pettah yesterday.

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