Navi Mumbai: With the dip in supply, prices of tomatoes saw a sharp rise both in the wholesale and retail markets. The price of tomatoes doubled in the three to four days and it crossed ₹100 per kg in the retail market.
Traders at the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Vashi say that there is no respite in days to come. Normally, the supply dips during the monsoon. This year, however, there was a sharp drop that caused a sudden price rise.
Sharp dip in supply
In the last week, the APMC in Vashi witnessed a sharp decline in the supply of tomatoes. According to traders, the prolonged heat waves in tomato-growing areas affected the supply. In addition, the delay, as well as the possibility of a weak monsoon, are also seen as major reasons. “A large number of farmers have stayed away from tomato farming as chances of poor monsoon will cause poor yield,” said a trader.
According to traders, the supply has dipped by 50 to 60 percent. Mumbai, including Navi Mumbai, needs around 300 tons of tomatoes every day, and the majority of the demand is met from Nashik and Satara. At present, the market is receiving about 100 tons of tomatoes per day.
Only 50 percent supply in market
Last week, tomatoes were available in the wholesale market at ₹18-28 per kg. However, on Thursday, they were being sold at ₹40 to 60 per kg in the APMC market. Retail prices even reached up to ₹80 per kg to ₹100 per kg.
Earlier, the market received 40-50 trucks of tomatoes, but with a decrease in production, only 50 percent of the required supply is being received.
Meghna Jadhav, a resident of Nerul said that prices of most of the vegetables have already reached ₹60 to ₹80 per kg. Now, tomato, which is an important ingredient in the kitchen, has added trouble for homemakers to manage their budget.
