Retail tomato prices have surged up to Rs 140 per kg in the Delhi-NCR region due to the supply disruption from the producing centres owing to rains.
Wholesale prices of tomato at Azadpur Mandi here, Asia's largest wholesale fruits and vegetables market, were ruling in the range of Rs 60-120 per kg, depending on the quality on Monday.
Mother Dairy's Safal was selling tomato at Rs 99 per kg on Sunday. Online retailer Otipy was quoting tomato hybrid at Rs 140 per kg and BigBasket Rs 105-110 per kg on Monday.
"The increase in prices of tomato is due to tight supply from the key producing centres. Because of rainfall, the supply is disrupted," Azadpur Tomato Association President Ashok Kaushik told PTI.
The supply from neighbouring Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan got exhausted quickly due to rains. Now, Himachal Pradesh is the sole supplier for the Delhi-NCR region. The hilly state is also receiving heavy rains, impacting picking and transportation, he added.
Traders are unable to get supply from the producing centres of Maharashtra and Karnataka, as prices out there are ruling high due to rains, he noted.
Kaushik said, "A crate of 25 kg is quoted somewhere between Rs 2,400 to 3,000. The rate per kg of tomato at producing centres is Rs 100-120 per kg. Traders cannot afford to bring the commodity to Delhi at such high rates".
Once the rainfall situation improves in southern states in the next 15 days, the supply of tomato is expected to improve in the Delhi-NCR region, he said, adding that till then, the price will remain firm.
Kaushik is also a member of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Azadpur.
Tomato prices have shot up not only in Delhi-NCR but also in other parts of the country.
The government has maintained that the price rise in tomato is a "seasonal" phenomenon. At this time, generally, the prices are high, and they will cool down in the next 15 days.
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