From rock bottom, tomato price rises by 5 times in just weeks

CHENNAI: After seeing a drastic fall that led to it being sold for a meagre Rs 10 per kg in May, tomato price has increased five times now to Rs 50 per kg at the Koyambedu wholesale market on Thursday.

At the wholesale market, tomatoes are being sold at Rs 50, Rs 40, and Rs 35 per kg, depending on the grading quality, while it is priced at Rs 60, Rs 50, and Rs 45, respectively, in the retail markets. Hybrid tomato is sold at Rs 50 in wholesale and Rs 60 per kg in retail.

Compared to May, when the market received 1,500 tonnes of tomatoes, there has been a steady dip in the arrival of tomatoes to around 800- 900 tonnes, said traders.

"The rate increase is due to a shortage of tomato supply. The rains in between have affected the production, and the quality has also come down. Currently, a large portion of the tomatoes arriving at the Koyambedu market is also of poor quality. The rates and situation would remain the same for another two months, after which the rate would come down," said SS Muthukumar, president of the Koyambedu Semi-Wholesale Vegetable Traders’ Association.

"Due to the increase in price, the sales and demand are less for tomatoes both in wholesale and retail markets," added Nellai Kannan, a vegetable seller.

In Tamil Nadu, vegetables come from Hosur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, and Tirunelveli.

The rate has increased for other vegetables like lady's finger, which is being sold for Rs 35 and drumstick for Rs 50, which have also doubled when compared to the price in May. Beans that were sold earlier for Rs 50 is now being sold at Rs 90, while the carrot price has gone up to Rs 70 from Rs 50 in the wholesale market.