Tomato prices are skyrocketing across the country. Prices of the kitchen stable cross ₹100 per kg in some cities such as Bengaluru and Delhi. This is largely due to a supply shortage caused by various factors.
As per Indian Express, the reason for the current high prices can be traced back to their sudden fall in April-May, which led many growers to abandon their crops. The unusual heat of March and April also saw pest attacks that took a toll on production.
Ajay Kedia, a Mumbai-based commodity market expert and head of Kedia Advisory was quoted by NDTV saying, "This year, for a variety of reasons, fewer tomatoes were sown than in prior years. As the price of beans surged last year, many farmers switched to growing beans this year. However, a lack of monsoon rains has caused the crops to dry out and wilt. The limited supply of vegetables, particularly tomatoes are due to crop damage caused by heavy rainfall and extreme heat."
Due to persistent rains that have harmed the crop and made transportation challenging, tomato prices have surged in the southern state of Karnataka and its capital city Bengaluru.
According to the database kept by the Department of Consumer Affairs' Price Monitoring Division, the average price of a kilo of tomatoes in retail marketplaces increased from ₹25 to ₹41. The range of the maximum tomato prices in retail markets was between ₹80 and ₹113.
Meanwhile, farmers say that prices of tomatoes are unlikely to come down anytime soon.