Drumstick price hits a high of Rs 65 a kg in Koyambedu market

Shallot is sold at Rs 110 a kg. This, after the price fell marginally during the last week. Shallot price went up owing to poor inflow from Karnataka and Maharastra, which accounts for a chunk of shallot reaching Koyambedu wholesale market. Traders attributed the rise in price of drumstick to low supply and high demand. Chennai’s drumstick requirement is met with by Theni, Ottanchatram, Perambalur and Aravakkurichi, where intermittent showers have affected harvest this time.

“At present, drumstick is sold at Rs 65 -75 a kg in Koyambedu market. The same is sold at Rs 90 to 110 in the retail market. However, street vendors sell it for Rs 120 a kg,” said VR Soundararajan, president of Wholesale Traders Association and member of Koyambedu Market Committee. He also added that price of shallot and Bellary onions had been stable during the last three weeks. “While shallot is sold at Rs 110 a kg, the price of bellary onion ranges between Rs 60 and 70. Heavy spell of rains during last month had damaged onion cultivation in TN and Karnataka, making inflow of such kitchen staple considerably low,” said a trader. Since rains slowed down and stopped in many areas, the traders are expecting normal inflow from early January 2018, he added. Meanwhile, price of tomato, potato and brinjal has come down and is being sold for Rs 15, 10 and 15 respectively.