The tomatoes prices are once again making headlines as they have flared up and this time in beginning of the new year. In retail the tomatoes are being sold for Rs 60 to 80 per kg. “The tomato prices have flared up in the past 10 days causing inconvenience to housewives as 90 per cent of the local supplies have been exhausted while other vegetable prices have remained stable,” said Ram Mahajan, Secretary, Mahatma Phule Adatiya Association while speaking to The Hitavada. Mahajan further said that unseasonable rains in the past few months have damaged the crop and inflicted heavy loss to the farmers. The tomatoes are selling for Rs 30 to Rs 35 per kg in the Mahatma Phule wholesale market. Over 90 per cent of the local supplies have been exhausted and only a small portion is coming to the market. “Still, the current prices are higher than usual,” he pointed out.

 

The local demand is being met by supplies from Sangamner, Nashik, Bangaluru, and Madanpalle in Andhra Pradesh. These markets are famous for tomatoes which are available in bulk quantities throughout the year. To make matters worse, the supplies have dropped drastically. On an average 10 to 12 trucks supply tomatoes, but due to the shortage only 5 to 6 trucks are coming daily to the market. “Inferior quality tomatoes forced many farmers to sell at low prices or abandon their crops, resulting in a crunch in tomato supply. Incessant rains further impacted the new crops and transportation to non-growing regions,” Mahajan said.

 

Apart from tomatoes, the other vegetable prices are stable from past one month. In the wholesale market, green chillies are at Rs 20 to Rs 25 per kg, coriander at Rs 15 to Rs 20 per kg, cabbage at Rs 10 per kg, cauliflower at Rs 20 per kg, brinjal at Rs 10 to 15 per kg, pumpkin at Rs 12 to Rs 15 per kg, lady finger at Rs 40 per kg, shimla mirch at Rs 40 per kg, methi at Rs 15 to Rs 20 per kg, lawki at Rs 8 to Rs 10 per kg, spinach at Rs 8 per kg, cucumber at Rs 30 per kg, carrot at Rs 30 per kg, bitter gourd at Rs 30 per kg and beans at Rs Rs 40 per kg, ginger at Rs 80 to Rs 100 per kg and he added.