CHENNAI: Tomato prices touched an all-time high of Rs 140 – Rs 155/kg (some verities as high as Rs 180) in Chennai on Tuesday due to supply disruption from north India. To put this spike in contrast, during Aadi month last year, a period when vegetable prices usually reduces, it was sold for just Rs 10-15.
The traders at Koyambedu wholesale market are expecting the supply to stablise from next month, but cautioned that the price is likely to remain as high, or even rise by 10 to 15 per cent, until then.
“When there was tomato shortage last year during the northeast monsoon, the highest rate was Rs 100/ kg. But now, it has reached Rs 120 per kg in wholesale market itself,” said K Prabhakaran, a tomato wholesale trader at the wholesale market.
“When there is issues in supply from the neighboring states, we would get tomatoes from Raipur. But the intense rain in the northern parts affected the supply to Tamil Nadu,” he said, adding that the price would then come down to Rs 60 to Rs 80 per kg.