Rice and vegetable prices drop

By L.S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

The prices of rice and vegetables will continue to decrease in the near future a ccording to a spokesman for the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute in Colombo. The lowest prices of rice and vegetables during the current year were reported last week. Samba, Nadu, Raw red, and Raw white rice prices were lower than their previous year corresponding period prices by Rs. 15 per kilo.

HKARTI Deputy Director General - Research Dr. L. P. Rupasena said that this is a free flow of rice to the market from the producing areas due to the removal of road blocks, good weather and the bumper harvests which has its impact on the price drops.The vegetable prices tend to decline during July-November every year due to the influx of large stocks from Hanguranketha, Marassana, Rikillagaskada, Dambulla, Nuwara Eliya and Welimada.

Trade Ministry Senior Official said that a system to eliminate the role of the middle men from the vegetable trade would be introduced soon.

He said that the vegetable prices could in fact be reduced by even 50 per cent in the absence of the middlemen. The retail prices of some vegetables are 100 per cent higher than the farmgate prices, he said.

While farmgate price of a kilo of Tomato was Rs. 54, the wholesale and retail prices amounted to Rs. 67 and Rs. 112 respectively, he said.Cooperative and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando during a surprise visit to Dambulla Economic centre last week enquired from the traders about the problems they face and agreed to remedy them soon.

Upcountry vegetables in plenty	Brinjals, the cheapest at present	Bitter gourd in abundance

Measures were taken last week to arrest the trend of escalating chicken and fish prices. Minister Fernando, called upon the poultry farm owners association to ensure the flow of sufficient supplies to the market.

In the event of the failure on the part of the poultry farmers, the government would be constrained to import chicken from Bazil to meet the shortage in the domestic market, he said. According to the latest HKARTI Bulletin the fish supply in the market has declined due to the rough seas in Southern coastal belt during the last month. The fish supplies in the North too declined.

Fisheries Ministry spokesman said that the Fisheries Corporation marketing network was strengthened last month. Fish sales counters were opened at 143 'Sathosa' branches and Fisheries Corporation Sales centres were also increased to 52, he said.

Fisheries Corporation prices which were reduced by 35 percent had its Salutary impact on the private sector fish price, he said. Prices of local, Nuwara Eliya, Welimada and imported potatoes have decreased due to the increasing supplies from upcountry.

The lowest prices range between Rs. 50 - Rs. 60 a Kg for imported potatoes and the highest prices range between Rs. 100 - Rs. 110 per Kg for Nuwara Eliya and Welimada potatoes were reported recently. The prices of Vedalan and imported big onion have also decreased due to the availability of sufficient stocks and low wholesale prices.