Sufficient food at stable prices, assures Commerce
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THERE WILL enough produce for consumption, even during the Vegetarian Festival, and prices should remain stable and not climb up too high, according to the Commerce Ministry.
“The flooding in many provinces has not damaged vegetable production. Only a few types have been impacted, as they cannot stand much water,” Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Phuangrach said yesterday.
The ministry’s inspection of vegetable farms in Nonthaburi’s Sai Noi district and the Internal Trade Department’s survey found only a few vegetable farms were destroyed in the 30 inundated provinces, mainly in Phitsanulok and Phetchabun.
The ministry is confident that vegetable supply should be adequate.
Most vegetable prices are unchanged from the same time last year, he added.
Somsak Juinam, the owner of Ifarm in Sai Noi, said vegetables are growing and entering the market as usual. Prices are quite stable and unchanged from last year. This will ensure that consumers would not have to shoulder a higher cost of living.
Prices would likely decline in the meantime as less rain falls, while demand from consumers remains the same.
Supplies of some vegetables have even increased. For instance, the price of Chinese mustard greens (choy sum) at the farm gate has dropped to Bt17-Bt18 per kilogram from Bt20 in the past two weeks.
Prices of greens would likely rise slightly during the first two days of the Vegetarian Festival, after that they should go back to normal, he added.
The Vegetarian Festival (Je Festival) starts tomorrow and runs to October 13.
The Internal Trade Department reports that the vegetables that are more expensive this year include tomatoes, up from Bt21 to Bt26 a kilo, morning glory from Bt26 to Bt31 and lettuce from Bt61 to Bt63.50.
Vegetables that are cheaper include kale from Bt56-Bt61 a kilo to Bt36-Bt37, write greens from Bt31 to Bt29, bitter gourds from Bt29 to Bt26, cucumbers from Bt21 to Bt19 and limes from Bt3.25 for one to Bt2.75.
