Declining demand leads to waste of vegetables and fruits

By Dayaratne Embogama 

The waste of large stocks of vegetables and fruits brought to Thambuttegama Economic Centre has been going on unchecked due to the declining demand. 

Chairman of the Economic Centre Sunil Seneviratne told the media yesterday that more than 50,000 kilos of vegetables and fruits are removed to the Orugodayaya garbage dumping ground every day, much to the anxiety of the farmers. He pointed out that the economic constraints facing the consumers resulted in this situation. 

The Chairman of the Economic Centre said the sharp drop in prices of vegetables and fruits had incurred heavy losses to the farmers. They pointed out that the price of sweet pumpkin was Rs.30.00 a kilo, cucumber Rs.10.00 a kilo, Bandakka was Rs.35,00 a kilo and green chillies Rs.250.00 a kilo. They said the prices of several other varieties were below Rs.100 a kilo.   “People are facing economic constraints and not in a position to buy vegetables. Now very few wholesale traders from outstations come to carry stocks of vegetables. Farmers from the Mahaweli “H Zone” Galgamuwa, Mihintale and Bulnewa areas bring vegetables to Thambettegama Economic Centre. Earlier they brought about 400,000 kilos of vegetables but now they bring less than 200,000 and more than 50,000 kilos of it are removed to the dumping ground daily” he said