Tomato Price: Tomato has again crossed Rs 100. Last year in the same season it was sold at Rs 200 per kg. First the heat scorched the tomato crop, now the rain is drowning it. Because of this, it is being sold at Rs 72 per kg in Delhi’s wholesale market. The condition of other vegetables is also the same.
Tomato Price: While there is greenery everywhere in the monsoon, tomatoes are becoming more ‘red’. The rains happening everywhere in the country are affecting all the vegetables, but tomatoes are becoming more expensive. Tomatoes that were sold at Rs 40 to 50 per kg in retail a few days ago have crossed Rs 100. At some places it is available at Rs 110 and at some places at Rs 120 per kg. In some posh colonies of Delhi, tomatoes are being sold at Rs 150 per kg in good packaging.
Let it not be like last year
Last year, in the same season, tomatoes were sold at Rs 200 per kg in Delhi. Now people are afraid that the price of tomatoes may cross Rs 200 this time too. The biggest fruit and vegetable market in the country is Azadpur Sabzi Mandi of Delhi. Anil Malhotra, General Secretary of Azadpur Vegetable Traders Association of this market and tomato trader, said that there is no farming in Delhi. In such a situation, most of the tomatoes come to Delhi from Haryana, Bangalore and Himachal. Therefore, if something happens in another state, Delhi gets affected by it.
First heat and rain spoiled the game
It was just a few weeks ago. There was such heat in North India that the leaves of the trees got scorched. Obviously, the vegetable plants were bound to get damaged in this heat. First the tomato crop got damaged due to the heat and now the rain has also damaged the crops. Malhotra says that due to rain, not much goods are coming from Bengaluru. In such a situation, more supply is coming from Himachal only. After a long time, a vehicle also came from Bengaluru yesterday. The rate of tomatoes coming from Himachal today was Rs 1200-1500 per carat. One carat contains 25 kg of tomatoes. In such a situation, this tomato was Rs 48-60 per kg in wholesale. On the other hand, the goods coming from Bengaluru are more expensive. Today its rate was Rs 1800 per carat, that is, its price in wholesale was Rs 72 per kg.
Rates may increase further
He says that the prices of vegetables will remain high throughout the monsoon, because fewer vehicles are reaching Delhi. On normal days, about 150 tomato vehicles come to all the markets of Delhi, but at present only around 60 are able to come. In such a situation, in the coming days, the wholesale rate of tomatoes can reach Rs 2 thousand per carat i.e. Rs 80 per kg. This means that the price of tomatoes in retail can reach Rs 150. Apart from tomatoes, the rates of other vegetables have also increased and it is expected to remain like this throughout the monsoon.
Today’s wholesale rates in the market (in rupees per kg)
| Vegetable | Rate |
| Zucchini | 35 to 40 |
| bottle gourd | 45 |
| ladyfinger | 40 |
| Capsicum | 60 to 80 |
| Arabic | 45 |
| French beans | 70 |
