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These traders bring in coconuts to Pettah to be sold to retailers from
Rs. 15 to Rs. 25 a nut. The retailers in turn sells a nut from
anything between Rs. 35 and Rs. 40. “Coconut growers charge exuberent
prices for the coconuts because they say it is sold in Colombo at high
prices. Retailers refuse to buy the nuts at our prices and we are
forced to meet their terms because of the perishable nature of the
goods. We spend about Rs. 2000 on fuel to come to Pettah. We are lucky
if we make a profit of Rs. 1000,” one of them said. Pix by Dimuthu Premarathne |
