As rains, landslides hit supply, tomato rates touch ₹250 per kg in Chandigarh

With only 128 crates of tomatoes being supplied to the Sector 26 wholesale mandi on Tuesday, the wholesale prices at the mandi were estimated at ₹200 per kg.

With the inclement weather conditions disrupting the production and supply of vegetables in the city, tomato rates have shot up to an all-time high of ₹250 per kg at the apni mandis of Chandigarh. The rates of other vegetables and fruits also continues to stay volatile.

Most of the suppliers at the apni mandis of Chandigarh had no tomatoes to sell to the residents, while those having limited supply were charging retail rates of ₹250 per kg. (HT Photo)

The prices witnessed a significant hike after the city got a short supply of tomatoes. With only 128 crates of tomatoes being supplied to the Sector 26 wholesale mandi on Tuesday, the wholesale prices at the mandi were estimated at ₹200 per kg.

Auction recorder of the Chandigarh wholesale mandi in Sector 26, Rashwinder Singh, said, “On Tuesday, the mandi witnessed shortfall in tomato supply due to which one crate was selling for ₹4,500. There are 24-25 kg tomatoes in one crate, taking the wholesale price to ₹200 per kg.”

Most of the suppliers at the apni mandis of the city had no tomatoes to sell to the residents, while those having limited supply were charging retail rates of ₹250 per kg.

Speaking about the drastic rise in prices, Harpreet Singh, a supervisor of Punjab Mandi Board in Chandigarh, said, “The production of locally grown tomatoes gets adversely affected due to increase in temperature and untimely rains. Generally, our local production remains till July end but with heavy rains in the region, the local production was stopped in June end. When local production stops, we import tomatoes from mountain areas but due to monsoon and sudden blockade on highways due to landslides, the supply gets erratic, thus leading to a steep hike in the rates.”

“It will take a few more days before the prices come down as monsoons in the country have made the vegetable supply erratic,” he added.

Last year, the highest that the price of tomatoes had gone at the apni mandi was around ₹60 per kg. In November 2021, the price of tomatoes had climbed to ₹90 per kg, the highest in recent times, but still had not touched the three-digit mark. Earlier on July 5 this year, the tomato rates had hit the ₹140-mark, also due to supply disruptions.

Other vegetables also affected

The price of other vegetables grown in the hills has also increased. Among these, the rate of capsicum rate has gone up from ₹60 to ₹100 per kg whereas brinjal is being sold at ₹70 per kg and bitter gourd at ₹60 per kg. Coriander’s rate, which is also easily affected by rains, has also touched ₹180 per kg. Earlier in June, it was being sold for ₹40 per kg. The price of onion and potatoes, meanwhile, is stable at ₹30 per kg for both.

Fruits cheaper than tomatoes

The rates of fruits are comparatively lesser. At apni mandi, apples are being sold at ₹240 per kg, whereas apricots at ₹150 per kg, pineapple at ₹120 per kg, pomegranate at ₹100 per kg, pear and grapes at ₹180 respectively. Mangoes, however, are being sold anywhere between ₹40 to ₹100 per kg.