Explained: The Sudden Spike In Tomato Prices And Usual Politics Over It
Tomatoes, which are usually sold for around Rs 20 per kg in the winter, have skyrocketed in price as a result of widespread rain and flooding in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
Tomatoes, which are usually sold for around Rs 20 per kg in the winter, have skyrocketed in price as a result of widespread rain and flooding in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
Currently, tomatoes are being sold for more than Rs 100 per kg in most southern states. The worst-affected city is Chennai, where the much-needed vegetable is now selling for Rs 140 per kg, up from Rs 40 at the start of the month.
Short supply and stockpiling by online platforms are being blamed by wholesalers in Chennai, where the commodity is burning a hole in buyers' pockets. Apart from limited local produce, the city imports most of its supplies from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
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Prices for other vegetables, such as capsicum and onions, have also risen, prompting the Congress party to criticise the BJP-led government.
What caused the price hike?
The sharp increase in tomato prices in major south Indian cities has been attributed to widespread moderate to heavy rainfall since the first week of November. Because of the rain, the tomato crop has been damaged, resulting in a supply shortage.
Guys, Tomato is the new Petrol
¡ª Sarthak Goswami (@SarthakGoswamii) November 23, 2021
Rs 100/Kg in NCR ? pic.twitter.com/rQL1LzEmDm
According to data from the National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation, India is the world's second-largest tomato producer after China, producing approximately 19.75 million tonnes from an area of 7.89 lakh hectares with an average yield of 25.05 tonnes per hectare.
Domestically, Andhra Pradesh is the largest producer of tomatoes in the country, where the vegetable is currently selling for Rs 100 per kg and is expected to rise further. Rain has flooded several tomato-growing areas, and the increase in diesel prices has added to the cost.
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Tomatoes are typically grown on 58,000 hectares in Andhra Pradesh, with the state producing approximately 26.67 lakh metric tonnes.
The largest tomato market in Chittoor is Madanapalle. However, this year's biggest producers - the districts of Chittoor and Anantapur - are among the worst affected by floods. Supplies are now primarily coming from Maharashtra's Solapur and Karnataka's Chikbullapur.
The market price
People in Kerala¡¯s Kottayam have to pay ?120 per kg of tomatoes, those in Ernakulam ?110 per kg, Thiruvananthapuram ?103 per kg, Palakkad ?100 per kg, Thrissur ?97 per kg and those in Wayanad and Kozhikode are buying them for ?90 per kg.
LPG prices at all time high.
¡ª Nimo Tai 2.0 (@Cryptic_Miind) November 23, 2021
Cooking oil prices at all time high.
Tomato prices at all time high.
Modi ji ne to phle hi warn kiya tha: Na khaunga, na khaane dunga.
In Chennai, a kilogram of tomato was being sold at ?100, ?90 per kg in Puducherry, ?88 per kg in Bengaluru and ?65 per kg in Hyderabad. In Karnataka, the price of tomato was ?85 per kg in Dharwad, ?84 per kg in Mysuru, ?80 a kg in Mangalore and ?78 per kg in Bellary.
In Andhra Pradesh, tomato prices were ?91 for a kilo in Vijayawada, ?80 per kg in Visakhapatnam and ?75 per kg in Tirupati.
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However, according to the data by the Consumer Affairs Ministry for 167 centres representing all regions of the country, tomatoes were being sold at ?72 per kg in Delhi.
What did the Opposition say?
Using the opportunity, the Congress party commented that the government is trying to divert people¡¯s attention from the real issues like inflation to "non-issues" of caste and religion.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said that prices of commodities of daily use are sky-rocketing due to which the masses are suffering. "It appears as though there is Section 144 in the kitchen where you cannot keep more than four tomatoes or onions," Khera told reporters.
Tomato winning the race ? pic.twitter.com/87pNZiw81q
¡ª Actual India ?? (@ActualIndia) November 23, 2021
"We would not allow the collective attention of the country to be hijacked by this government by creating non-issues by hiding their failures," he further said.
Meanwhile, the price hike has been trending on twitter and internet users compared tomato prices to the hikes in prices of petrol and diesel, calling it the 'new petrol', while some criticised the central government for the rise.
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