Chandigarh | Tomato prices see 33% rise in two weeks

Between April and now, there has been an increase of 167% in tomato rates, owing to the heatwave conditions which adversely affected its production

Tomatoes, which are one of the most vital ingredients in meal preparation, have seen an almost 33% rise in price, going up from ₹60/kg in the second week of June to ₹80/kg now.

Tomato prices saw a 33% rise in two weeks. (HT File)

Between April and now, there has been an increase of 167% in tomato rates, owing to the heatwave conditions which adversely affected its production.

Harpreet Singh, a supervisor of Punjab Mandi Board in Chandigarh, said, “Tomatoes are usually the worst hit by extreme temperature changes. Due to the heatwave, their supply dropped even though they were grown locally this year.”

Singh added that there is a shortage of tomatoes at the wholesale mandi in Sector 26 as well. A crate of tomatoes costs up to ₹1,500 for around 25 kgs in the wholesale market while usually, it remains below ₹1,000.

The soaring temperature also damaged other vegetables, including bottle gourd which is a staple in the region and usually priced between ₹20-30 per kg. It was selling at ₹60 per kg at the apni mandi on Tuesday. Green peas also get damaged by heat and its rate has risen by over 50%, going up to ₹120 per kg due to a shortage in the market.

With monsoon on the horizon, the rates of vegetables can further get affected in case of heavy rains, high-velocity winds or hailstorms. The rates of other staples such as onion and potatoes, meanwhile, remained unchanged in the past two weeks, both at ₹25 per kg. The price of lemon has also come down now and has remained unchanged at ₹80 per kg.