The price of tomato, which is essential for cooking in each and every household, has hit a high at Rs.70 per kg in Tiruchi.
While the wholesale traders quote Rs.50 a kg at the Gandhi Market on Monday, it was sold between Rs.60 to 70 in the retail shops. The second and third quality tomato was sold at Rs.60 and Rs.50 respectively.
A month ago, the prices of tomato were ruling between Rs.4 to Rs.6.
However, tomato has now become a highly valuable commodity in the perishable vegetable category.
While traders attribute it to the dwindling area of tomato cultivation due to unfavourable climate, they said that arrival from local areas has almost stopped during the last three to four weeks. Similarly, there is no arrival from Dindigul, Theni, Pollachi, Oddanchathiram, Kallupatty and Vaiyampatty, which are known for country tomato in the State.
S. Muruganantham, a wholesale trader at Gandhi Market, said that the market had been receiving tomato only from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telengana. Since too many traders from Tamil Nadu brought tomato, the prices had gone up in the primary market itself.
He said one box (25kg) of tomato was sold between Rs.1100 and Rs.1200 in the whole sale market in Tiruchi. It was sold for just Rs.100 a month ago.
Mr. Muruganantham added that the prices would continue to rule high for the next few weeks. It might come down in July.
