Tomato price hits century: Price surge due to short supply and high demand

By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Jun 27, 2023, 4:01 PM IST

Tomato prices in the market have reached the century mark due to the high demand and low supply in the market. The price surge of other vegetables has also been observed due to less yield in the crops. This has led to an increase in market price.

The sky-high journey of vegetable prices in Karnataka continued on Tuesday. The price hike is likely due to the monsoon being delayed this year. Many vegetables have surged hike due to short supply, including tomato, which is now Rs 100 (per kg), since last week.

You might have known about the Tomatina festival in Spain. It was featured in the movie 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara'. If that fest were to happen in Karnataka, people might have thrown stones at each other instead of tomatoes, due to the price surge.

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The tomato price is currently over 100 rupees in the market, say reports.

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The sudden rise in the price of tomatoes has made people go red. The price surge has been reported due to the shortage in supply. In Kolar APMC, 15 kg crate of tomatoes was sold for a whopping Rs 1100 on Sunday. It is evident that the price is much much higher in the Bengaluru market, as the traders pick them up at a higher price.

This year, the tomato has seen very small sowing compared to the previous years. However, due to the monsoon late-coming, those little quantities of tomatoes have been in short supply to the market. Hence, the surge in prices.

The Bengaluru markets, Kalasipalya and Dasanpura, used to get around 60,000 crates of 12 Kg each per week, now have gone down to 30-35 thousand boxes only. The tomato-growing cities like Tumkur, Ramanagara, and Chennapatna have seen hailstorms. Hence, the crops have lost their yield. Even Kolar has seen a loss in supply, which has come to 800-900 per 15 Kg box, upwards from 200-300!

"This year, the heat has risen above average and the monsoon hasn’t entered Karnataka yet. Added to this, the vegetables are dry and Tomato has been affected with ‘White fly disease’. The crop has seen 50% less yield than regular," said C Murali, a vendor from Kolar.

Price surge for other vegetables too

Not just tomatoes, but other vegetables are also being sold at a much higher price than usual. If this continues to happen, we might have to buy the vegetables with our Debit cards. The price of beans per Kg is around 140. Varieties of carrots have crossed the century mark.

The egg is also sold at 8 rs per piece, says the reports. The Knol khol has been sold at 70 rs. hike, Okra is now increased by 60rs/kg.

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In areas surrounding Bengaluru, including Chikkaballapur, and Doddaballapur, which grow vegetables have received excess rainfall during the summer. The monsoon season still has not begun yet in Karnataka, due to this most of the plants and vegetable crops have lost their yield, either due to excessive rainfall or no rainfall at all. The demand for vegetables in the market is high, yet supply is poor.

Even at this price, the farmers will not get the deserved amount as it is the middlemen, who make a lot of money, trading the vegetables from one market to another market.

Due to this, the restaurants also might increase their food prices. The market will rise in case the vegetable price continues to rise and the middlemen will make money. A common man will have to suffer in between the price surges.
According to Free Press Journal, Tomatoes which cost 10rs/kg last week in Bhopal, are now hitting the century mark i.e. 100/kg.

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