Consumers are feeling the impact as skyrocketing tomato and onion prices, driven by heavy rains disrupting transportation, have made meals less flavorful. The price of tomatoes have soared in the major wholesale vegetable markets of Delhi-NCR, like Azadpur Mandi, Ghazipur Mandi, and Okhla Sabzi Mandi, selling at over Rs 90 a kg. In the local markets, the price is higher.
Even a few days ago, tomato was available for Rs 30-40 a kg. Then it touched the Rs 50 mark in the mandis, with the wholesalers blaming it on higher transportation costs. The supply has dwindled because of heavy rains in tomato-growing states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh as fewer trucks are plying these days, said a wholesale merchant.
Tomatoes do not have a long shelf life and to compound the problem, the heavy rains have affected the crops along with creating transportation hurdles. Not only Delhi, other cities like Kolkata, too are bearing the brunt of a sudden rise in the prices of tomatoes hit by blistering heat and delayed rains. However, the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry expected that fresh harvests from southern states will ease prices within a few days.
A latest Crisil report said the average cost of a vegetarian thali in India rose by 10 per cent in June due to a 59 per cent rise in potato prices, 46 per cent increase in onion prices, and 30 per cent hike in tomato cost.
CRISIL Market Intelligence and Analysis’ monthly ‘Roti Rice Rate’ report said that the cost of vegetarian thali, comprising roti, vegetables (onions, tomatoes and potatoes), rice, dal, curd and salad, rose to Rs 29.4 in June from Rs 26.7 in June 2023.
Rabi or winter-sown onion output declined by an estimated 20 per cent to 19 million tonnes this year. Rabi onion usually accounts for nearly 72 per cent of the country's annual supply. Last year in July, prices of the commonly consumed vegetable skyrocketed to a record Rs 178 a kg in Delhi, registering an eightfold jump.
