Vegetable supply to Dambulla Dedicated Economic Centre (DEC) has been reduced by 80 per cent, Dambulla Economic Centre’s Trade Association President U. B. Ekanayake said.
He said the supply of vegetables has been limited to around 800,000 Kilogrammes per day, due to the travel restrictions in the face of the rapidly spreading COVID-19 pandemic. However, he said that all workers at the Dambulla DEC have been vaccinated against COVID-19, and the DEC is fully compliant with health guidelines.
He said the shortage of fertilizer has been another reason for the short supply of vegetables to the market. He pointed out that farmers have been unable to afford the gradual increase in prices of agricultural inputs currently available in the market.
Under these circumstances, beans together with upcountry vegetables are fetching higher prices.
A Kilogram of beans is sold at over Rs. 200 while the wholesale price of a Kilogramme of powdered chilies exceeds Rs.180. The lowest price is for cucumber which is Rs. 50 per kilogram. Other vegetable varieties are ranging between Rs.75 to Rs.175 per Kilogramme.
He said some farmers have abandoned vegetable cultivation due to the shortage of fertilizer. “If this situation continues, vegetable production will inevitably fall and prices will go up by the end of this year,” he said.
The Dambulla DEC Trade Association president observed that the Dambulla market receives large quantities of vegetables from various parts of the country throughout the year.
“The prices of imported potatoes as well as big onions have gone up. The wholesale price of a Kilogramme of potatoes and onions is more than Rs. 110. In the meantime, local big onions will be harvested next month. There is a possibility of a high price for that in the market. Therefore, big onion growers can get some profit,” he remarked.
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