Unusual Rain Patterns Cause Vegetable Prices Skyrocketing, Tomatoes Touch Rs 120 Per Kg

From an average price of Rs 60-80 a few weeks ago, tomatoes are now selling at anywhere between Rs 100-120 in most parts of India, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru.

In the national capital, on Wednesday morning, the average cost of a kilo of tomato was around Rs 100, up from Rs 20 just a month ago.

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Rains damage crop, disrupt supply

The sudden spike in tomato prices has been blamed on the unseasonal rains in states like Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh in May, followed by the transition into early monsoon has resulted in widespread crop damages and also disrupted the supply chain, resulting in a shortage of supply in the market.

Currently, the majority of the tomato supply to Delhi comes from Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, and wholesale dealers expect the prices of the kitchen staple to go up further.

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Tomato-producing states also feel the heat

In the south, even in Karnataka, which is one of the biggest tomato producers in the region, the prices have breached the Rs 100 mark.

Like other tomato-producing states, Karnataka too had seen heavy rains in May, followed by the monsoon in June.

The disruption in Karnataka has meant that tomato prices in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Gujarat have all been impacted.

In Rajasthan, the nearly five-fold increase in tomato prices has been baled on heavy rainfall caused by cyclonic storm Biparjoy, followed by the onset of the monsoon season that has destroyed farmers' produce.

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Rs 122 per Kg in Gorakhpur

In UP's Gorakhpur, the maximum price of tomatoes had reached Rs 122 per kg.

Wholesale vendors say that tomatoes are only being supplied from Maharashtra, while Rajasthan has stopped its supply following crop damages due to rains.

This year, many farmers in UP who had faced losses for the last two years have chosen not to grow tomatoes and switched to other vegetables instead. The high perishability of tomatoes has also reduced their availability in the market.

Tomato prices will come down soon

Meanwhile, The government said that the current price spike in tomatoes is a temporary, seasonal phenomenon, and rates will cool down soon.

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"It is a highly perishable commodity. Transportation gets affected in areas that received sudden rains. It is a temporary issue. Prices will cool down soon. It happens every year during this time," Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh told PTI.

Stating that there is a seasonality in tomatoes, he said the data on tomato prices of the last five years shows that the rates have risen every year at this time. The supply to Delhi will start coming from Himachal Pradesh in the next 10 days, and prices will soften.

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