Steep rise in the tomato prices in Chennai?
Posted on: 08/Sep/2022 10:09:39 AM
It has been a week now and the tomato prices have not come down. In the Chennai city`s retail market the high tomato prices has become the subject for discussion for many now.
It is now said that the reason for rise in the prices of tomatoes was due to slump in the tomato arrivals from the tomato producing states. The slump in the arrival has been due to the heavy rains in those states. On Wednesday, the retail price of tomatoes increased to Rs 60 per kg. Just 2 weeks back, the price of tomatoes was Rs 20 per kg and this was according to some wholesale traders. Many traders were dumping unsold tomatoes is known.
Usually, the Koyambedu wholesale market would receive 80 lorry loads to 90 lorry loads of tomatoes but yesterday the market received just 40 loads to 50lorry loads of tomatoes. The surprising piece of information is that the arrivals from neighbouring states like AP and Karnataka have reduced by 40percent of the normal daily share.
There has been extensive damage to the crops due to heavy rains in states like AP and Karnataka etc. This was according to Mr. P. Sukumar, treasurer, Koyambedu Vegetables Fruits& Flowers Merchants Association. He explained that the cost of tomatoes would be stable usually in this time of the year and would get sold for Rs 20 per kg to Rs 30 per kg. In the rainy season in November, the prices of tomatoes would shoot up normally. Now, in the September month itself the prices of tomatoes have shot up.
Now, it has been brought out by some wholesale traders that the prices of tomatoes would touch Rs 80 per kg to Rs 90 per kg if the rains continue in the neighbouring states. The prices of other vegetables like carrots, beans and broad beans have also become more now in the Chennai market and that is due to the rains. In the wholesale market in Chennai, carrots are being sold between Rs 65 per kg to Rs 80 per kg and beans / broad beans for Rs 50 per kg.
