Tomato Prices: There is no relief for the common man from inflation yet, the prices of vegetables including tomatoes and potatoes are continuously increasing in monsoon

There will be relief from expensive tomatoes in a week or two. A government official said on Saturday that due to increased supply from the southern states, it is expected to ease in the coming weeks. The official said that the prices of tomatoes and onions which have increased due to supply constraints are expected to stabilize soon. Currently, the price of tomatoes has reached Rs 75 per kilogram in Delhi and surrounding areas.

A Consumer Affairs Ministry official told PTI that prices of tomatoes, potatoes and onions are very high in Delhi and some other cities. The scorching heat and subsequent heavy rains disrupted the supply, leading to a surge in retail prices. He said that the price of tomatoes in Delhi has reached Rs 75 per kg, but it may come down if the supply chain is not disrupted by heavy rains.

According to the ministry’s data, the retail price of tomato in Delhi on July 12 was Rs 75 per kg, while in the same period a year ago the price was Rs 150 per kg. On Friday, July 12, the average price of tomato across the country was Rs 65.21 per kg, while last year it was Rs 53.36 per kg. At present, Delhi is getting tomato supply from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The official said that as soon as hybrid tomatoes from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka reach Delhi, prices will start coming down.

The government is not planning to resume the sale of subsidised tomatoes, a measure that was implemented last year when the price had shot up to over Rs 110 per kg. The official expressed confidence that prices would normalise within one to two weeks once supplies from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka improve.