The prices of tomatoes are expected to increase further and may reach “ ₹300 per kg” in the coming weeks due to incessant rainfall in some parts of the country and inadequate showers, Moneycontrol reported. This situation has adversely affected the production and transportation of this essential kitchen commodity.
“The problem of price rise will go on for some time. No new plantation can be planted amid rains. Prices will continue to rise in weeks to come. It will be a minimum of 2 months before we see prices stabilise,” the report quoted Sanjay Gupta, Managing Director and CEO of National Commodities Management Services Limited (NCML) as saying.
The months of July-August and October-November typically experience lower tomato production, contributing to the current scarcity.
In response to the sharp increase in tomato prices nationwide, the Central government has instructed its agencies, namely National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Limited (NCCF), to promptly procure the staple vegetable from mandis in key growing states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
Price rise started from ₹40 per kg
The retail prices of tomatoes have surged throughout the country. In June, prices were around ₹40 per kg, but in the first week of July, they rose to an average of ₹100 per kg. Subsequently, the tomato prices climbed even higher to an average of ₹200 per kg due to heavy rainfall affecting the supply from various regions.
The government attributes the price increase to the monsoon season, which has created additional difficulties in distribution and led to increased transit losses.
Current price in Delhi
The National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF) has announced that tomatoes will be sold at a price of ₹90 per kg starting from Friday, news agency ANI reported. Tomato production takes place across various states in India, albeit in varying quantities. The southern and western regions of India contribute around 56-58% of the total tomato production in the country. In the Delhi-NCR region, the majority of tomato arrivals come from Himachal Pradesh, with a smaller quantity sourced from Kolar in Karnataka.
Data reveals a significant increase in tomato prices across major consumption regions. In Delhi, prices have skyrocketed from ₹20 per kg in early June to ₹110 per kg last week. Similarly, in Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata, the prices per kilogram rose to ₹117, ₹100, and ₹148 respectively.
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