After onion, retail prices of tomatoes have soared up to Rs80 per kilo in the national Capital due to lower supplies from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Mother Dairy, which has about 400 retail outlets in the National Capital Region, is selling tomatoes at Rs64 per kilo, while local vendors are charging Rs70-Rs80 per kilo. last week, tomato prices were hovering at Rs40 per kilo. According to traders at Delhi’s Azadpur mandi, tomato prices have gone up sharply as arrivals from Himachal Pradesh have almost stopped with onset of winter, while supplies from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are also low.
Supply of tomatoes has declined in Delhi to 15-20 trucks against 35-40 trucks before Diwali, they added. Onion prices have moderated to Rs60 per kilo from a peak of Rs100 a kilo last month. Potato, onion and tomatoes are the staple in every household.
As per Government data, tomatoes were being sold at Rs80 per kilo in Port Blair and Rs70 in Aizawl. It was cheapest in Bhopal at Rs15 per kilo. The average for 57 cities was Rs40 per kilo. Tomato was ruling at Rs60 per kilo in Jammu, Cuttack and Rourkela and Rs45 in Thiruvananthapuram. The data put price ruling in Delhi at Rs48 per kilo even though retail rates were as high as Rs80 per kilo. Besides household demand, the commodity was being sought in greater numbers by manufacturers of tomato ketchup and purées, putting pressure on prices.