Tomato prices may ease in coming weeks on supplies from Andhra, K'taka

Retail tomato price, which soared to Rs 75 per kg in the national capital, is expected to cool in the coming weeks as supply improves from southern states, a government official said on Saturday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said prices of potato and onion, which also spiked due to supply disruptions, are expected to stabilize soon.

"Prices of tomato, potato and onion are ruling high in Delhi and some other cities. Extreme heat followed by spells of excess rainfall disrupted supplies, causing a spike in prices in consuming areas," the consumer affairs ministry official told PTI.

 

Tomato price in New Delhi has surged to Rs 75 per kg, but is likely to ease if heavy rainfall does not further disrupt supply chains, he said.

According to the ministry data, retail tomato price in Delhi was Rs 75/kg on July 12, down from Rs 150/kg in the year-ago period. In Mumbai, the price was Rs 83/kg, while Kolkata reported it at Rs 80/kg.

The all-India average retail price of tomato stood at Rs 65.21/kg on July 12, compared to Rs 53.36/kg last year.

Currently, Delhi is receiving tomato supplies from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. "Prices will start easing as hybrid tomatoes from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka reach the national capital," the official said.

The government does not plan to reintroduce subsidized tomato sales, a measure implemented last year when the price exceeded Rs 110 per kg. The official exuded confidence that prices would normalize within 1-2 weeks as supplies improve from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

The official noted that India has 283 lakh tonne of stored potato, sufficient to meet domestic demand despite lower production compared to the previous year. Onion prices, which have eased in Maharashtra's wholesale markets, are expected to decline further with the arrival of the new crop in September.

Heavy rainfall has disrupted the supply of tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and green vegetables in key consuming areas, leading to price hikes across metros.

In Delhi, retail potato price was Rs 40/kg on July 12, up from Rs 25/kg last year, while onion price increased to Rs 57/kg from Rs 33/kg.

The government remains optimistic about price stabilisation in the coming weeks, provided there is no further disruption due to adverse weather conditions.