Vegetable market shifts: chillies down, carrots and limes up

Prices of Maldivian chillies and eggplants have fallen in the market, while carrots and limes have risen sharply.  

Carrots and limes, previously sold at MVR 25 per kilo, are now priced at MVR 35, a 40 percent increase. In contrast, chillies have dropped from MVR 330 to MVR 220 per kilo. Eggplants have also eased slightly, from MVR 65 to MVR 60.  

Some items remain stable compared to last year. Smoked fish continues to sell at MVR 85 per kilo, pumpkin at MVR 25, butternuts at MVR 30, and bananas between MVR 40 and MVR 45.  

This year’s commodity prices have been heavily influenced by the appreciation of the dollar in the black market, where rates have climbed above MVR 20. Traders rely on black‑market dollars to pay for imports, driving up costs.  

To ease shortages, the State Trading Organization (STO) began selling 23 basic food items last month, including vegetables such as onions, ginger, carrots, eggplants, sweet potato, potato, cabbage, pumpkin, spinach and garlic, as well as fruits like bananas, apples, oranges, limes, mangoes, papaya, watermelon, chillies and grapes. STO has since expanded to lentils, eggs, coconuts and turmeric.  

The government has assured that STO’s intervention will be managed in a way that does not harm private businesses.