Vegetables to be cheaper this Onam for Malayalis as COVID-19 dampens demand

Express News Service

KOCHI: This Onam, Onam Sadya won’t be a lot costlier to Malayalis as the costs of veggies have seen a decline since mid-July. Usually, the costs of greens go increased in the course of the Onam season yearly.

However, with the COVID pandemic dampening the spirits of festivals, the vegetable stall homeowners will not be seeing a brisk sale this 12 months because it was in the course of the pre-COVID instances. All the greens besides carrot, Chinese potato (koorkka), and cauliflower at the moment are priced beneath Rs 50 per kilogram within the retail market and the value is just not prone to go up throughout this week, stated the distributors.

“One of the main reasons for the low prices is because we are getting enough supply from neighbouring Tamil Nadu. During the lockdown, several people started farming for their livelihood in the neighbouring states. Meanwhile, in Kerala, the demand for veggies has drastically come down during the last year. As we are getting enough stock and with less demand in here, the prices have come down,” stated Ernakulam Market Stall Owners Association president KK Ashraf.

He stated with the faculties remaining closed, many of the households will not be shopping for extra greens now. “Veg items was always included while preparing lunch box for children. Now without schools functioning, families don’t need that additional quantity. Another reason is the restrictions on marriage functions. Since a minimal number of 20 or 30 people are allowed now, caterers are also not buying vegetables in bulk. Hotels too are not buying more veggies for Onam Sadya as the customer turnouts are low,” he stated.

In the Ernakulam market, a minimal of 12 (large and small lorries) are delivering greens from Tamil Nadu on weekdays. “On market days, that is on Monday and Friday, we have received nearly 16 loads of vegetables. With adequate supply, we do not see the chances of prices going up this week ahead of Onam,” he stated. Meanwhile, the state authorities has additionally launched  Supplyco Onam district gala’s everywhere in the state.