Now tomato prices go up in India

After onion, retail price of tomatoes shot up across India on Tuesday due to supply disruptions caused by heavy rains in key growing states.

However, the price of onions has come down marginally compared to the past week and is now hovering around Rs 60 per kilogramme (kg) in retail markets across India.

The price of onions in retail markets in Delhi has come down below Rs 60 per kg due to an increase in supply of the bulb by the central government through cooperatives which are selling the vegetable at a cheaper rate of Rs 23.90 per kg.

However, the price is still on the higher side in the retail market.

The cooperatives are selling onions from the buffer stock maintained by the central government. Out of 56,700 tonnes of onion stored as buffer stock, 18,000 tonnes have been released in different markets.

According to traders, tomatoes have turned costlier in the last few days as supplies have been hit.

At cooperative Mother Dairy’s outlets, tomatoes are being sold at Rs 58 per kg while local vendors are selling it between Rs 60 and 80 per kg on Wednesday, depending on the quality and locality, they said.

“Tomato prices have increased sharply in the last few days as the supply has been affected because of flood and heavy rains in key growing states,” said a wholesale trader at Azadpur Mandi in Delhi.

Key tomato growing states Karnataka and Telangana as well as some hilly states have witnessed rains in the last few days, which has led to damage of the crop, creating a supply disruption, he added.

Retail price of tomatoes in other metros were also ruling high. Tomato was quoted at Rs 60 per kg in Kolkata, Rs 54 per kg in Mumbai and Rs 40 per kg in Chennai on Wednesday, as per government data.