Tomato prices touch 60/ kg due to poor crop `

Compared to last November, the price of tomatoes has soared by 300 per cent. The maximum price of tomatoes last year, as per the Telangana Agricultural Marketing department, was `1,200 per quintal, whereas the current price is `3,600 per quintal.

In the retail market, the price of tomatoes ranges between `45 and `60 per kilogram, with the local variety costing more than the hybrid.

As per an official of the Telangana Agricultural Marketing Department, most of the tomatoes arrive in the city from Madanapalle in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh.

Since the crop in Madanapalle took a hit due to poor rains this year, the prices have automatically gone up in Hyderabad.

The arrivals of the crop at the city’s markets have also been dwindling since the start of this month. At the Bowenpally market, the arrival of tomatoes has decreased from 304.6 tonne on November 1, to 188.1 tonne on November 9.

In October this year, the arrival of tomatoes at Bowenpally had dwindled to less than 200 tonne in just six days during the entire month. However, this month it has gone below 200 tonne on five days already.

The Telangana Agricultural Marketing department official said, “Usually prices of tomatoes remain normal from November-February. We are also collecting data and planning some strategies to control the prices. However, prices of tomatoes will continue to remain high for the coming few weeks, at least till the temperatures starts going down a little in Madanapalle region which will create an atmosphere conducive for proper growth of tomato plants.”