Chandigarh: Tomatoes get dearer amid poor supply from south

Compared to ₹40 per kg on August 20, kitchen-staple tomatoes are now being sold for up to ₹60 per kg at Chandigarh’s apni mandis

Despite the ongoing dry spell in the region, price of tomatoes at city’s apni mandis has shot up by 50% in recent days amid poor supply from southern parts of the country, even as most other vegetables have become cheaper.

The wholesale price of a crate of tomatoes, which weighs 20-25 kg, has gone up to ₹1,000 in Chandigarh. (HT Photo)

Compared to ₹40 per kg on August 20, kitchen-staple tomatoes are now being sold for up to ₹60 per kg.

Speaking about this, Harpreet Singh, mandi supervisor for the Punjab Mandi Board at the Sector-43 apni mandi, said, “While the weather has remained dry here, rains in other parts of the country, especially the south, from where tomatoes are sourced, has affected their supply here. The wholesale price of a crate of tomatoes, which weighs 20-25 kg, has gone up to ₹1,000.”

He added that as monsoon draws to a close, the locally grown tomatoes will enter the market that will help lower their rate.

Meanwhile, due to the recent spell of dry weather in the region, supply of other vegetables, including bottle gourd, cabbage and cucumber, has improved, bringing their prices down.

Even the price of cauliflower, which had gone up to ₹90 per kg last month, has started decreasing, as the locally grown crop has started to enter the market. Its price is expected to dip further in the coming days.

At ₹25 per kg, the price of onions and potatoes has remained unchanged between August and September.