Price reaches Rs 160 a kg, tomato turns ‘red’
The prices of vegetables, especially tomatoes, have shot up in the recent past. In winter, the price of tomatoes, which get a price of Rs 20, has crossed Rs 100 a kg in many cities. In Chennai, tomatoes are getting a price of Rs 160 per kg. Tomato prices are skyrocketing due to crop failure due to floods in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Tomatoes are turning ‘red’ due to low yields and high demand as well as increasing transportation costs.
In Bangalore, the price of tomato has reached Rs 110 per kg and that of onion has reached Rs 60 per kg. Similarly, onion is getting Rs 60 per kg and tomato Rs 80 per kg in Mumbai. In Delhi also the price of tomato has reached Rs 60-90 per kg. Vegetables wholesalers say that the prices of vegetables have increased sharply due to the increase in the prices of petrol and diesel.
Price reached Rs 160 in Chennai
In Chennai, the price of tomato has reached Rs 160 per kg. On Monday, one and a half times less tomatoes arrived in the city’s Koyambedu Wholesale Market. This is the lowest arrival in the last 15 days. Tomato is getting Rs 140 to 160 per kg in the retail market of Mandaveli, Mylapore and Nandanam. App based grocery startups are selling tomatoes for Rs 120.
S Chandran, secretary of the Federation of Wholesale Vegetable Market Associations, Koyambedu, said tomato growing areas in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have been badly affected due to the rains. This has damaged the crop. Earlier, 27 kg tomato was purchased from the field for Rs 500, which has now reached Rs 3,000. Tomato prices have rarely gone to this level.
What customers say
A consumer said that the price of tomato used to be Rs 20-30 per kg, which has now reached above Rs 100. He said that if the prices of petrol and diesel increase then everything will be expensive. Another consumer told Times Network that the rising prices of vegetables have spoiled the kitchen budget. To avoid this, we have reduced the consumption of vegetables. We eat least expensive vegetables. We are buying potatoes, cabbage and other cheap vegetables. We will not eat it until the price of tomato comes down.
A housewife said that we never thought that tomatoes would be out of our reach. Its price was 20 to 30 rupees but after rain it is getting 80 rupees per kg. Our monthly budget is getting disturbed due to rising tomato prices. Another customer said that vegetables have become expensive so he is taking recourse to pulses. He said that the government should control the price of vegetables, otherwise people will stop eating vegetables.
