Wholesale vegetable prices at the Dambulla Dedicated Economic Centre have surged sharply following widespread destruction of crops caused by recent heavy rains and landslides, traders said.
Carrots are now selling for between Rs. 700 and Rs. 1,000 per kilogram, while beans and leeks fetch Rs. 500 to Rs. 800. Pumpkin prices have risen dramatically from around Rs. 30 to between Rs. 100 and Rs. 130 per kilogram.
The price spike comes amid one of the worst natural disasters in recent memory, with flooding and landslides affecting large swathes of the country and damaging agricultural lands.
Meanwhile, the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has urged the public to report traders who are charging inflated prices for essential commodities during the ongoing crisis.
Complaints have already been received from several areas where sellers are reportedly exploiting the situation.
The CAA stressed that public cooperation is crucial to ensure fair pricing in emergency conditions and provided a general hotline for complaints via 1977.
Dedicated provincial hotlines have also been established for timely reporting:
North Central Province: 077 108 8801
Sabaragamuwa Province: 077 108 8912
Southern Province: 077 108 891
Uva Province: 077 108 8896
Northern Province: 077 108 8910
North Eastern Province: 077 011 0096
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