Tomato prices likely to decline in next 15 days, says ICAR

Tomato prices, which have skyrocketed up to ₹100/kg, are more likely to decline over the next fortnight as supplies from southern and other growing states are expected to improve, said a senior official from Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Retail tomato prices have been through the roof for more than a month now in most parts of the country and are still ruling high up to ₹100 per kg, as per the data maintained by the consumer affairs ministry.

Tomato prices in metros were ruling at ₹95/kg in Kolkata, ₹92/kg in Delhi, ₹80/kg in Mumbai and ₹55/kg in Chennai on June 29, as per the ministry data.

In other centres, tomato was sold at ₹95/kg in Lucknow, ₹90/kg in Bhopal and Thiruananthapuram, ₹65/kg in Ahmedabad, ₹60/kg in Jaipur, ₹60/kg in Patna and ₹55/kg in Hyderabad in the said period, the data showed.

The rates in producing centres have also gone up sharply.

For instance, tomato is being sold at ₹83/kg in Shimla and ₹75/kg in Bengaluru.

The prices vary depending on the variety and quality.

In the same period a year ago, tomato rates



had gone up to ₹65/kg but it had not hit this high.

“As per personal assessment, I expect prices to come down in the next 15 days. Supplies from southern states and other growing areas are likely to improve,” Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Deputy Director General (Horticultural Science) A.K. Singh told PTI.

As rains recede, the supplies from southern states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and even Maharashtra will improve, that will ease pressure on prices, he said.

Singh said that heavy rains in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthn and other growing states have caused some damage to the crop. Even the crop that is harvested has not been able to reach markets on time due to transportation woes.

That apart, the cost of transporting the produce to the main mandis has gone up as trucks are taking more than the normal time due to rains and floods, he added.

The Delhi-based Tomato Merchant Association (of Azadpur mandi) Ashok Kaushik said transportation cost has gone up due to more time involved in getting the produce in rainy season.

However, the supplies are expected to improve in next two weeks.