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By Channa Kasturisinghe

The Commerce and Consumer Affairs Ministry has taken steps to make fresh vegetables available to consumers in the City at reduced prices by setting up a wholesale market exclusively for vegetables with modern storage facilities.

The wholesale market with storage space of 7,000 square ft set up in Maligawatte will be opened on September 16, Minister Ravi Karunanayake told the media yesterday.

The Sri Lanka Food Processors Association (SLFPA) has teamed up with 26 vegetable farmers and wholesalers of the Dambulla Economic Centre and the Cooporative Wholesale Establishment in this connection.

SLFPA President Mario de Alwis said that the setting up of the new wholesale market would enable consumers in the city to buy fresh vegetables at reduced prices.

"The main aim of this move is to minimise the post harvest loss by brining the market closer to the consumer base. We expect the prices of some vegetables to come down by about 40 percent of the current price when the new market comes into operation. It would also bring about price stability and consumers will be able to buy at farm gate prices," Mr. Alwis said.

Minister Karunanayake said that although the Manning market has been operating the vegetable wholesale market over years the consumers were not able to buy fresh vegetables at reasonable prices.

"This has been mainly due to the lack of proper storage facilities and the distribution has been centred in one place. Therefore, we are planning to set up similar wholesale markets in several areas of the country in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Economy. We have already made arrangements to set up vegetable wholesale markets in areas such as Avissawella, Kalutara and Gampaha," Minister Karunanayake said.

The Minister said that since the new Government took office, the prices of vegetables and essential food items have been reduced considerably and his Ministry would take effective measures to further reduce prices in the coming months. 

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