Tomato prices have been on the rise, with the rates jumping from Rs 10-20 per kg to Rs 80-100 per kg. Apart from tomatoes, prices of other vegetables have also increased in various parts of the country. This is a concern at a time when inflation has just come below the RBI’s tolerance limit of 6 per cent.
“It has become difficult to run a household due to skyrocketing prices of vegetables, especially tomatoes. Middle and poor class are the most affected,” said consumers in Bhopal as tomato prices cross Rs 100 per kg, according to PTI.
Why Are Tomato and Other Vegetable Prices Rising?
Prices of tomatoes as well as other vegetables have increased significantly in many parts of Rajasthan due to various factors, including heavy rainfall caused by cyclonic storm Biparjoy, according to a PTI report quoting wholesalers.
Tomato prices have increased four to five times due to heavy rainfall caused by cyclonic storm Biparjoy followed by the onset of monsoon season that has destroyed the produce of farmers.
The prices of all vegetables have also increased by one to two times, the wholesalers said.
According to a livemint report quoting a Mumbai-based commodity market expert and head of Kedia Advisory, Ajay Kedia, “This year, for a variety of reasons, fewer tomatoes were sown than in prior years. As the price of beans surged last year, many farmers switched to growing beans this year. However, a lack of monsoon rains has caused the crops to dry out and wilt. The limited supply of vegetables, particularly tomatoes are due to crop damage caused by heavy rainfall and extreme heat.”
In Mumbai, the price of the kitchen essential reached an astronomical Rs 80-110 per kg in parts of the city, while Delhi is witnessing tomato prices hitting between Rs 80 and Rs 100.
The prices of the kitchen staple have seen a spike across the country, with tomato selling for Rs 100-120 per kg in Bengaluru, Rs 90-100 in Mysuru, Rs 40-50 in Kolkata, and Rs 100 in Chennai.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur, the wholesale price of tomatoes ranges from Rs 80-90 per kg and retail shops are selling it at Rs 100 per kg. News agency ANI quoted vegetable vendors as saying that tomatoes come to the city from Bengaluru and rain has disrupted the supply.
When Will The Tomato Prices Come Down?
The surge in tomato prices is a temporary seasonal phenomenon, and rates will cool down soon, Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh has said, according to PTI.
He added that it is a highly perishable commodity. Transportation gets affected in areas that received sudden rains. It is a temporary issue. Prices will cool down soon. It happens every year during this time.
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