Lack of cold storage facilities to blame for high price of vegetables

CHANDIGARH: If the city had cold storage facilities, the rate of tomatoes might not have gone so high.
The price of tomatoes has reached from Rs 30 to Rs 80 per kg. It is expected to reach Rs 100-per-kg-mark by next week.
"The city does not have cold storage facilities. Himachal Pradesh and Haryana have the facilities and are reaping its benefits. The stored vegetable is catering to the local needs and is also being supplied to other places at higher rates.Chandigarh has only private cold storage facilities for apples and potatoes alone. The facility in the city could have checked the tomato price rise,"said Desraj, president of Small Vegetable Seller'sWelfare Association.
Asish Kamra, a vegetable and fruit dealer of Sector 47, said, "Not only tomatoes, but prices of many other vegetables are also rising because of the lack of cold storage facilities. The rate of potatoes has tripled and of onions, doubled. The authorities should ensure facilities to save the common man from the annual vegetable and fruit price hike."