Here's yet another reason to turn vegan

KOCHI: If the price factor does influence your choice of food, it's probably the right time to go vegan, if not for health but for the extra cash you may save in the process.
While non-vegans, who enjoy sinking their teeth into scrumptious kebabs and fried fish, may find it difficult to digest the 10 to 30% hike in prices of meat and fish, it's a windfall for vegans with prices dropping by 15 to 20% over the last two months.
The price of tomato and onion now ranges between Rs 15 and Rs 20 a kg, which is almost 60% less than what they were in October. Similarly, beans and carrots have also become cheaper by Rs 10 to 15.
In contrast, the price of mutton is hovering around at Rs 440 per kg compared with Rs 400 a few months ago. The cost of chicken, meanwhile, went up by a hefty Rs 30 per kg in the wholesale market to touch Rs 115, and duck and beef is being sold for between Rs 220-230 a kg. Prices of some of the most sought-after seafood have also soared to an all-time high this month. The price of seer fish has risen from Rs 480 to Rs 640 per kg while that of pearl spot ranges between Rs 340 and 380. Mackerel is priced at Rs 120 per kg and pomfret has gone up from Rs 480 to Rs 600 per kg.
Meat sellers blamed the hike in meat prices on supply shortage from neighbouring states, and that of chicken to decrease in supply from the local market as well as from Tamil Nadu. "The rates are decided by distributors from Tamil Nadu as Kerala produces only 30% of the chicken consumed here. Moreover, in the last season, traders did not receive enough supply of chicks from other states. "We are selling chicken from the stock remaining from the Christmas season," said Benny Emmatty, chairman, Poultry Farmers and Traders Coordination Committee.
Meat sellers have warned that the prices of beef and other meat products were likely to go up as they were finding it difficult to cope with the government's decision to allow only 16 cows in each load.
"The authorities have imposed a rule of allowing not more than 16 certified cows through the check post. Earlier, we used to bring 36 to 40 cows and pay a tax of Rs 30,000 for each load. The new rule has doubled the tax on traders here. Hence, we will be forced to increase the price of beef and other meat products in the coming days," said Kunju Mohammed, president, Kerala Meat Sellers Association.
"Vegatables available in plenty as the climatic conditions are favourable. Onions and other vegetables are easily available from Karnataka and Maharashtra. Apart from drumsticks and green mango that have spiked to Rs 160 and Rs 60 per kg, respectively, the rates of all other vegetables have fallen drastically," said K K Ashraf, secretary, Market Stall Owners Association.
Though vegetable prices have gone down, there's a marked rise in prices of commonly used fruits such as apples, grapes and oranges.
"Most of the fruits that arrive at our markets are refrigerated and frozen as opposed to fresh fruits that are available during this season," said K K Saji, Ernakulam and Aluva market vegetable vendor. But the heavy monsoon, hike in petrol prices and unchecked black marketing have pushed up the prices of rice, pulses and edible oils. Coconut oil has seen a nearly 100% rise in the retail market - from Rs 60 per kg six months ago to Rs 118 now.
"We expect the price of oil, rice and pulses to rise in the coming days as there is unavailability of stock. Prices are likely to increase by the first week of February," said Dennis D Paul, oil trader, Ernakulam market.