“A home without Tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins”.One slice of tomato gives
mouth-watering taste to food. These tomatoes are special guests to the kitchen at every home.
The cheaper vegetable gets, there is a hike in its prices all of the sudden, then how to invite
them to our kitchen?
Yes, due to continuous rainfall the price of vegetables has increased in Karnataka. Especially in
Bangalore, the rate per kg is touching Rs.100. Due to the cyclone, vegetables are not arriving in
the market and demand for those are increasing. For the past 20 days, Bangalore has stuck to
heavy rainfall and the vegetable rates are increasing drastically. Not only in Karnataka but the
prices have been increased in Chennai and Hyderabad as well.
Recently Chief Minister of Karnataka state Savaraj Bommai said that he had directed the
horticulture department to submit a status report on the impact of rain on vegetables, flowers,
and fruits.
The wholesalers in Bangalore say that the price has gone up due to heavy rainfall. Tomatoes
that were Rs.20 – Rs.50 are now available for Rs.80 – Rs.100 depending on quality. The
season is unexpected and this is the first reason for price increase. This might continue for
another month as well.
Horticultural Producers Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society, (HOPCOMS) recently
said that the cost of tomatoes of Rs 92 per kg, rest all vegetables are under Rs130 to Rs220 like
beans, onions, carrots, and capsicum, etc. now the retail prices are higher than the HOPCOMS
and tomatoes prices are nearing to Rs.130.
Food products are on-demand now and neighbouring states were lowering down their
cultivation, and had found huge losses on cultivation due to rains. Wholesalers were finding it
difficult to make sales and people had dropped their interest to visit the market as prices were
very high. The majority of production of the market is sent to Madurai, Chennai, Villupuram,
Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka, and
Puducherry. “In November 2016, the price was Rs.98 per kg and now it has been stretched to
Rs. 130. The record had crossed in the market” said wholesale dealer N Sudheer.
“Tomato cultivation in parts of Chittor, too have been submerged and the situation will prevail for
the next couple of days”. This was said by K Ramamurthy, a farmer.
Due to rain and increase in price, the farmers were facing glitches in cultivating the crops and
house makers had stopped inviting their guests ‘tomatoes’.
Tomato price Rs.100 – Rs.130 per Kg in Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai
