Prices of essential items set to go up

Thiruvananthapuram: With lorry operators demanding a revision in freight charges to match the fuel price hike, people are bracing themselves for another round of increase in the price of essential commodities.

Retail prices of most items, including vegetables, are showing an upward trend. Tomato and green chilli have seen an exponential rise in price over the past one week.

While the retail price of tomato went up from Rs.24 a kg to Rs.30, green chilli now costs Rs.40 from Rs.24 last week.

Retailers at the Chala market maintain that it is supply shortage caused by floods in Tamil Nadu early this month that has been creating volatile vegetable prices for the past few weeks.

�I guess we will have to do away with the expensive items, says Lilly Michael, a retired teacher.

Lorry operators from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are yet to declare a freight charge hike