Tomato prices skyrocket to Rs 70/kg, onion at Rs 40/kg in Delhi

New Delhi, Jul 23: Tomato prices have increased steeply to Rs 60-70 per kg in the National Capital as supplies have dropped due to rains in northern parts.

Onion prices are also ruling at Rs 40 per kg in retail. Mother Dairy's Safal outlets are selling tomato at Rs 55 per kg and onion is available at Rs 29 per kg, whereas local vendors are charging Rs 60-70 per kg for tomato and selling onion at Rs 40 per kg.

According to the Department of Consumer Affairs data, the highest price of tomato was Rs 85 per kg in Bhopal, followed by Rs 80 per kg in Kanpur and Portblair.

The wholesale prices of tomato are ruling at Rs 45-50 per kg at Azadpur Mandi here. Onion prices have slightly declined to Rs 20-25 per kg at the wholesale market, traders said.

"There has been substantial drop in supplies of tomato from Himachal Pradesh, which is the main supplier to the National Capital Region," Mother Dairy's Fruit and Vegetable Business Head Pradipta Sahoo told PTI when asked about the reason for spike in price of the commodity.

Tomato Merchants Association President at Azadpur Mandi Darshanlal Arora attributed the rise in prices to drop in supplies from northern region and high prices at other supplying regions in anticipation of drought.

"This year there is around 25 per cent drop in supplies of tomato from northern regions and in addition to that prices from another key suppling stations Nashik and Bangalore are higher compared to last year in anticipation of drought."

Tomato prices are higher in southern and eastern regions than in northern parts of the country, the official data showed. Onion prices were the highest at Rs 45 per kg at Dimapur, according to the data.

PTI