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Tomato prices fire up, cost ₹150 per kg in Pune
The price is almost 15 times what it used to be in the first week of May when tomatoes were being sold at ₹10 per kg
As tomato prices skyrocket, buyers are unhappy as it is putting a strain on their household budget. According to vendors, tomato prices, this week ranged between ₹120 and ₹150 per kg in the retail market.
The price is almost 15 times what it used to be in the first week of May when tomatoes were being sold at ₹10 per kg. The paltry prices then forced tomato growers to throw away their produce as they could not even recover the production and transportation costs.
“Last week some guests had come to our house and we made pav bhaji. I bought tomatoes at ₹140 per kg from our local vegetable vendor. This is impacting our monthly budget,” said Meena Naidu, a resident of Ahmednagar Road.
Another resident Sujeet Palkhe said, “We stopped buying tomatoes from last month, as we cannot afford to buy them at such a high price. Till the prices go down we will not buy them and use alternatives instead.
The latest rise in the prices has, however, made the tomato farmers happy. In Narayangaon, which is a sub-market committee in Pune, the price of tomatoes got the highest wholesale rate. A crate of 20 kg of good quality tomatoes fetched ₹2,500. Meanwhile, in the last month, 8,68,055 carats were supplied Narayangaon.
“The price is now fetching up to ₹2,000 to 2,500, at the end of June, the market committee had a turnover of over ₹1 crore from the sale of tomatoes,” said Rupesh Kavade, secretary of the sub-market committee.
“In May, and at the beginning of June, a large number of tomatoes arrived in the market due to the heatwave. Due to the relatively low demand, tomatoes were forced to be sold at very low prices. Some farmers had thrown away the tomatoes. Later, the price increased due to the increase in the demand for tomatoes and decrease in the supply,” said Mauli Khandagale, market committee director.
“If the farmers bring back the bulk goods and grade them instead of filling them in crates, they will get better market prices,” he added.
According to tomato farmers, the tomatoes coming to the market committee are going to Rajkot, Bhuj, and Indore due to which tomatoes are fetching good prices.
“These rates will remain stable for at least a month as demand is high and comparatively supply is less,” said Ashutosh Jambhale, a tomato supplier.
Vendor, buyer get into fight over tomato prices, case registered
As the commodity became scarce, leading to an escalation in rates, a fight broke out between a vegetable vendor and a customer at Wadgaonsheri. The vendor manhandled the customer over tomato prices.
As per Chandannagar police, the accused seller has been identified as Anil Gaikwad and customer Gopal Dhepe has lodged a complaint.
Dhepe had gone to the vegetable market in Wadgaonsheri around 7:30 pm on Wednesday to buy tomatoes. An argument broke between the accused and the complainant over tomato price when Gaikwad threw the weighing scale on Dhepe in which he was injured.
Prices of tomatoes sold in local markets in Pune
₹10 per kg May first week
₹50 per kg May last week
₹80 to ₹100 per kg June first week
₹120 per kg June last week
₹120 to ₹140 per kg July 1
₹140 to ₹160 per kg Jul
