Tomato Prices Skyrocket As Supply Tightens: Mother Dairy Stores Sell At Rs 259/kg

Once again, tomato prices have surged due to limited supply, causing significant concern for consumers. Mother Dairy, through its Safal retail stores, is currently selling tomatoes at an astonishing Rs 259 per kg in the national capital.

This surge in tomato prices has been ongoing for over a month, primarily due to disruptions in supply caused by heavy rainfall in major producing regions. Although the central government intervened by selling tomatoes at subsidized rates starting from July 14, retail prices in Delhi started to ease recently. However, the situation has reversed due to the scarcity of supply.

According to data from the consumer affairs ministry, on Wednesday, the retail price of tomatoes reached Rs 203 per kg, while Mother Dairy's Safal retail outlets were selling them at Rs 259 per kg.

A spokesperson from Mother Dairy explained, "Tomato supply has been severely affected across the country over the last two months due to abnormal weather conditions. In the past two days, the arrivals at Azadpur, which is a primary supplier to Delhi, have plummeted drastically. This short supply has led to a sharp increase in wholesale prices, consequently impacting retail prices as well."

At the Asia's largest wholesale fruits and vegetables market, Azadpur mandi, wholesale prices of tomatoes on Wednesday ranged from Rs 170 to Rs 220 per kg, depending on the quality.

Ashok Kaushik, the President of Azadpur Tomato Association, pointed out that the recent heavy rainfall has damaged crops in the growing regions, leading to a reduction in tomato arrivals at the mandi. On Wednesday, only 15% of the expected tomato supply arrived, with just six small trucks able to transport supplies from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, resulting in further price hikes.

Fortunately, there is hope for improvement in the supply situation as Kaushik expects a better supply in the coming ten days. Until then, consumers will likely continue to face challenges with the soaring tomato prices.