Tomato prices skyrocket to Rs 160 a kg in Delhi/NCR, other parts of country

Tomato prices have skyrocketed to ₹160 per kg in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) along with various other parts of the country. The retail price of the vegetable across Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad and Greater Noida is hovering in the range of ₹140 – ₹160 per kg depending upon the location and distance from the nearest wholesale market. 

The majority of other regions in the country have also witnessed a steep spike in tomato prices including Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad, among others. 

According to the ministry of consumer affairs data on the daily price movement of the commodities, tomato price in Mumbai and Patna on July 6 was ₹130 per kg, while it was ₹140 a kg in Lucknow. The lowest cost per kg as per the data is in Pimpalgaon and Jammu at ₹60 per kg and ₹80 per kg.

Traders say the prices have zoomed due to supply constraints caused by heavy rains in various parts of the country. A large number of retailers in Noida and Greater Noida could not bring tomatoes this week to the various weekly vegetable markets, blaming non availability in the wholesale markets. The small quantity which could be procured was being retailed at ₹150 – ₹160 a kg.

It may be noted that in the absence of tomatoes in the market, people have resorted to buying tomato puree, which too is depleting fast from the shelves. A grocery store owner in Greater Noida told Fortune India that he could procure some tomato puree with a lot of difficulty and that the demand for the product is very high.

High tomato prices are a huge matter of concern amid the softening headline inflation.