With rains affecting crops leading to drop in the arrival of tomatoes to the wholesale markets, the price has escalated to ₹60 a kg here on Tuesday.
Over 700 wholesale vegetable shops function at the Nethaji Daily Vegetable and Fruit Market at V.O.C. Park Ground in the city. Usually, over 5,000 boxes, each weighing 15 kgs of tomatoes, arrive everyday from Talavadi, Dharmapuri, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Due to an increase in production, the wholesale price of tomato was between ₹10 a kg to ₹15 a kg in the first three weeks of August. “As monsoon intensified bringing in more rains in the production areas, harvesting was affected leading to the drop in arrivals to the market,” said a trader who added that the price of tomatoes started to shoot up in the last one week.
Traders said that due to rains, auspicious days and Onam festival, the price of all vegetables have gone up by at least 20% to 45% in September. “Less than 2,300 boxes arrived at the wholesale market on Tuesday and the price of tomatoes will go up further”, added another trader.
While fine quality tomatoes are being sold between ₹55 and ₹60 a kg, second quality tomatoes are being sold between ₹30 and ₹45 a kg. Traders pointed out that since the quality of tomatoes remain inferior, most of them are selling tomatoes without stocking.
“Even if we pay a higher price, the quality of tomatoes are poor”, said a customer T. Balasubramaniam at the market. He said that the retail price of tomatoes increased from ₹20 a kg in August to ₹80 a kg now. “We fear the price may touch ₹100 a kg depending upon the rain”, he said.
