Incessant rains in Sri Lanka cause vegetable prices to go up

The vegetable prices have risen in Sri Lanka and almost all varieties of vegetables are sold above Rs. 100 per kilo, market sources say.

Meanwhile, the Manager of the Dambulla Economic Center Christy Perera told media that the wholesale prices of vegetables have gone up about 30 to 50 percent compared to last week's prices.

He said that the stocks of vegetable reaching Dambulla, the country's main wholesale market for vegetables, had declined and the quality of the supplies is also low due to heavy rains experienced in the vegetable growing areas.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Cooperatives and Internal Trade Johnston Fernando told media that the government will purchase vegetables directly from the farmers and will be sold via state-owned cooperative shops and Lak Sathosa network of department stores as a measure to bring down the vegetable prices.