According to government data, retail tomato prices have skyrocketed to a high of Rs.140 per kg in several regions of southern India as supply have been impacted by severe rains.
Tomato prices have been high in most retail stores across the country since September, but there has been a substantial increase in southern states recently owing to persistent rains.
According to Consumer Affairs Ministry data, retail tomato prices in the northern region were in the range of Rs.30-83 per kg on Monday, while those in the western region were in the range of Rs.30-85 per kg and those in the eastern region were in the range of Rs.39-80 per kg.
For several weeks now, the average modal price of tomato in India has remained high at Rs.60 per kg.
Tomato retail prices were ruling at Rs.140 per kg in Mayabunder and Rs.127 per kg in Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. On Monday, tomato was available in Thiruvananthapuram for Rs.125 per kg, Palakkad and Wayanad for Rs.105 per kg, Thrissur for Rs.94 per kg, Kozhikode for Rs.91 per kg, and Kottayam for Rs.83 per kg.
The retail price of the major kitchen vegetable in Karnataka was ruling at Rs.100 per kg in Mangalore and Tumakuru, Rs.75 per kg in Dharward, Rs.74 per kg in Mysore, Rs.67 per kg in Shivamoga, Rs.64 per kg in Davanagere, and Rs.57 per kg in Bengaluru.
On Monday, tomato prices in Tamil Nadu reached Rs.102 per kg in Ramanathapuram, Rs.92 per kg in Tirunelveli, Rs.87 per kg in Cuddalore, Rs.83 per kg in Chennai, and Rs.75 per kg in Dharmapuri.
Tomatoes were sold for Rs.77 per kg in Visakhapatnam and Rs.72 per kg in Tirupathi in Andhra Pradesh, and Rs.85 per kg in Warangal in Telangana. On Monday, the retail price of tomato was Rs.85 per kg in Puducherry.
On Monday, tomatoes were sold for Rs.55 per kg in Mumbai, Rs.56 per kg in Delhi, Rs.78 per kg in Kolkata, and Rs.83 per kg in Chennai.
On November 26, the consumer affairs ministry stated that tomato prices are likely to fall from December due to the arrival of fresh crops from northern states.
Retail tomato prices have climbed since the end of September owing to unseasonal rains in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, which caused crop damage and delays in arrival from these states, according to the report.
Delayed arrivals from north Indian states were followed by severe rains in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, disrupting supplies and causing crop damage.
Tomato prices are very unpredictable, with any minor disruption in the supply chain or damage caused by severe rains result in price increase, according to the report.
As per the Agriculture Ministry, kharif (summer) production of tomato in the current year is at 69.52 lakh tonne as against 70.12 lakh tonne produced last year.
