CHENNAI: Sambar too hot as drumstick, brinjal prices hit

Pic courtesy: teluguabhiruchulu.wordpress.com and divyascookbook.blogspot.com


By G Saravanan
Published in The New Indian Express, on December 8, 2010:


Vegetable prices in the city soared to a new high on Tuesday owing to the recent heavy rains as the rates of the main ingredients for the south Indian dish, sambar - drumstick and brinjal - have doubled due to limited or no arrival of stock at the Koyambedu market here.
Besides, the incessant rain also played havoc in the lives of leafy greens (Keerai) cultivators, as they were either destroyed or damaged due to flooding.Koyambedu Market Management Committee member and 
wholesale trader V R Soundararajan told Express, “The steep increase in vegetable prices, especially the traditional varieties -- drumstick, broad beans (avarakkai), brinjal and lady’s finger -- in the last few days, was due to the recent non-stop rain which had damaged several standing crops, hence reducing their supply to the market.”
“Till last week, we used to receive about 22 truck loads of leafy greens of different varieties at Koyambedu market, but it has reduced to a meager two loads (per day) since Monday,” he added. 
Vegetables would be priced 20 to 25 per cent higher by small time vendors across the city, in comparison with the Koyembedu retail market rates.
Retail price important vegetables per kg in rupees with last week comparison in box: Lady's finger – 22 (12), potato –16 (10), big onion – 40 (30), small onion – 35 (23), beans – 28 (22), carrot – 32 (28), tomato – 25 (15) and Bangalore tomato – 18 (12).