Tomatoes, Other Veggies On Fire Again Ahead Of Festive Season

Bhubaneswar: While the song ‘Aha Tamatar Bade Mazedar’ turned out to be a hit with meme makers, price of this precious commodity has left a bad taste in the mouth.

Having crossed a ‘century’ a few months ago, tomatoes are on fire once again.

In cities such as Delhi and Nodia, the price of tomato has skyrocketed to Rs 140 per kg, while in Chennai, consumers have to shell out Rs 120 per kilo, according to a Republic World report.

In Kolkata, the price of one kg of tomato is between Rs 90 and Rs 100, in Mumbai Rs 100 and in Chandigarh it is Rs 70 per kilo.

The latest escalation in prices is due to unseasonal rains and a virus attack that damaged the crop in the important farming areas around Nashik. This resulted in low production and supply of the vegetable.

According to Nashik farmers, 20 kg crate of tomatoes is now being sold for Rs 1,500 to Rs 1,600 in farm markets. Therefore, retail prices range from Rs 100 to Rs 120 per kg in cities like Nagpur.

“The rains over the last fortnight have damaged the crops, and with only a quarter of the produce saved, prices have more than doubled in a week,” said Shankar Dikhale, a tomato farmer from Nashik.

Tomatoes are rich in Lycopene, which lowers blood pressure, treats blood pressure-related disorders, heart disease, good for eyes, prevents constipation, and reduce the risk of stroke.

Several other veggies have become a pricy affair ahead of the festive season.

From Rs 30 per lilo, ladies’ finger is now being sold at Rs 80 per kilo. Bottle gourd and pumpkin are priced between Rs 60-80 per kilo.

The price of cauliflower has skyrocketed from Rs 40 to Rs 100 per kilo.

Onion price has gone up from Rs 20 to Rs 60 per kilo.