2023-06-27 07:02:58
Retailers in the national capital region are perplexed after seeing an unusual increase in tomato prices—a six-fold jump in six days. Even a major producing region like Karnataka has also seen a similar surge in prices.
“Six days back, I used to a buy a crate of tomato at ₹1,200 and today it is ₹2,600. So I bought only 5 kg from mandi,” said Jatan Ram, a vegetable vendor at Yamuna river bank in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
As the prices have jumped to ₹120/kg everywhere, “I am not the only one to sell at that rate,” he said justifying the high selling price.
According to the Consumer Affairs Ministry’s data, pan-India modal price in retail markets jumped to ₹40/kg on June 25 from ₹20/kg on June 24, probably the maximum rise in a single day. The ministry’s data show the price of tomato as ₹113/kg in Ernakulam (Kerala) and ₹99/kg in Etawah (Uttar Pradesh)
The erratic weather conditions have affected the tomato production, causing a significant price hike in multiple areas of Bengaluru. The tomato prices have soared to about ₹80-100 per kg over the last few days.
According to traders, prolonged dry spell has led to the infestation of white fly in parts of Kolar, a major producing region in Karnataka, resulting in the fall in supplies of quality produce.
Also read: Cottonseed prices shoot up ahead of kharif sowings
Modal prices touched ₹8,500 per quintal in the Binnymill fuits and vegetable market in Bengaluru on June 26 against ₹2,700 per quintal on June 20. In the Kolar market, modal prices ruled at ₹3,330 per quintal on Monday against ₹2,130 on June 19. High quality tomato prices ruled at over ₹6,670 per quintal Monday.
According to an agriculture ministry official, it is common for prices to go up during this period, especially due to high temperatures and delayed monsoon in many parts of the country.
The prices may rule strong for another month or so, the official added.
India’s tomato production has been pegged at 20.62 million tonnes (mt) for 2022-23 crop year (July-June) against 20.69 mt in the previous year, per the agriculture ministry’s first estimate of horticulture crops released on June 26.
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Published on June 27, 2023
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