As the tomato prices have come down in Karnataka, the market sources said the supply of the commodity has improved by two to three times compared to last month.
New Delhi: At a time when tomato prices refuse to come down in several other cities, consumers in Karnataka will now be able to purchase tomatoes at just Rs 20 per kg. The development comes as the supply of the commodity has improved substantially in the state. In the Mysuru APMC (Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee) yard, for example, tomato prices were down to Rs 14 per kg on Sunday. Earlier, tomato in Karnataka were being sold at Rs 140 per kg.
“Last week, the average price of tomatoes was Rs 18 to Rs 20 per kg as the supply has improved,” Mysuru APMC Secretary M R Kumaraswamy said.
As per a PTI report, officials said on Monday that the tomato prices in Karnataka have significantly reduced due to the improvement in the supply of the commodity of late. For instance, tomato prices in Mysuru APMC (Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee) came down to Rs 14 per kg on Sunday. The price of tomatoes in the last week averaged around Rs 18 to Rs 20 per kg, helped by the improved supply.
Supply in Market Has Improved
Kumaraswamy also noted that the supply in the market has improved by two to three times as compared to the previous month. This has resulted in a sharp fall in prices.
He also stated that last month itself, tomato prices in the Mysuru APMC ranged around Rs 140 per kg, and currently, the retail price of the commodity stands around Rs 30 per kg in the state.
Consumers must be aware that the tomato prices skyrocketed last month across the country. Retail prices in several metro cities broke the consumer’s back with high prices.
Tomatoes were being sold at Rs 155 per kg in West Bengal’s Siliguri and Kolkata saw tomato prices shoot up to Rs 148 per kg. Delhi and Chennai at one point also witnessed tomato prices rise to Rs 110 per kg and Rs 117 per kg respectively.
This steep increase in tomato prices was credited to the disruption in supply caused by heavy rainfall in tomato-producing states. Moreover, rainfall also posed a challenge to the harvesting and transportation of the commodity. At present, tomatoes are being sold at Rs 40 in major metro cities.
Tomato Production In India
In general, India grows two crops of tomatoes — Rabi crop is grown in Junnar Taluka of Maharashtra and parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The supply of Rabi crops comes to market between March and August. And the second crop is the Kharif crop, which is grown in UP and Nashik and it comes into the market during the rest of the year. These states are the major suppliers of tomatoes in the country.
Why Have Tomaro Prices Increased This Year?
Various factors are responsible for the price rise of tomatoes — monsoons, inadequate production, and extreme heat. The first batch of the crop is planted in the month of January-March, which results in the first batch of produce during April-June. And the Rabi crop fetches better production for farmers too. However, this year, the harvest was affected this year by the sudden heat, as it led to pest attacks on tomato crops, resulting in lower produce and higher market rates.
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