Jan 18, Colombo: Following a prolonged drought and monsoonal flooding in much of the country, Sri Lanka's vegetable prices are soaring and traders are requesting to import vegetables from India to bring down the prices.

Chairman of the Traders' Association of Dambulla Economic Center U.B. Ekanayake said that the vegetable prices might go up to unbelievable levels.

He said that the prices can be controlled if the vegetables are imported from India temporarily until the crops come in to the market and prices go down.

The consumers lament that the prices of vegetables are unaffordable and the situation affects their nutrition levels and health.

Farmers, however, say that the higher prices have helped them to recover the losses caused by floods.