Vegetable prices skyrocket ahead of Phuket Vegetarian Festival

PHUKET: Even a major festival such as the Phuket Vegetarian Festival is not spared commerce’s principal ethos of “supply and demand”; as demonstrated by the hike in vegetable prices this week.

As has become the usual practice in previous years, with only a few days before the festival starts vegetable prices at the busy Kaset Market in Phuket Town, near the Robinson department store, have jumped an average of 20 per cent.

A price check conducted by officials at Kaset Market yesterday, revealed that vegetables, especially of the Chinese variety, had indeed gone up in price.

Chinese kale – 70 baht per kilogram

Chinese mustard green – 40 baht/kg

White gourd – 25 baht/kg

Cabbage – 30 baht/kg

Morning glory – 40 baht/kg

Long beans – 35 baht/kg

Cucumber (small/large) – 18/35 baht/kg

It was noted, however, that fruit prices at the market remained at pre-festival levels.

“Many of the popular vegetables have gone up in price by as much as 10 to 20 baht per kilogram, some even as high as 30 to 40 baht per kilo,” said market vendor Wirat Gerdjit.

“I hope prices won’t go up any higher,” he said. “Many customers have already complained about the price increase.”

An official from the Phuket office of the Department of Internal Trade, this morning confirmed they knew of the 20 per cent price-jump.

“Whether or not prices will increase again during the festival remains to be seen. However, based on last year’s figures, prices during the Vegetarian Festival could increase anywhere from 50 to 100 per cent,” the official said.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong