Retail prices of tomatoes, which had been at elevated levels in the last few months have started to decline due to improvement in supplies, according to department of consumer affairs
The all-India average retail prices of tomato declined by more than 22% to Rs 52/kg on November 14, from Rs 67/kg prevailed a month back, the department said. In October, retain inflation in tomatoes touched a stratospheric 161%.
The modal mandi prices at Azadpur, country’s biggest market of fruits and vegetables have declined by 50% to Rs 2,969/quintal from Rs.5,883/quintal during the same period.
“Similar decline in mandi prices of tomatoes are reported from benchmark markets such as Pimpalgaon (Maharashtra), Madanapalle and Kolar, Karnataka,” according to an official note.
According to Ashok Kaushik, a commission agent and member, Azadpur market tomato association, said that the average wholesale price on Sunday had declined to Rs 32/kg from Rs 60/kg in the last one month. “Prices are expected to stabilize in coming weeks as supplies improve,” Kaushik told FE.
Inflation in retail tomato prices rose by 161% in October on year, which was at14 months high due to supply disruption. “The surge in tomato prices during October, 2024 was on account of excessive and prolonged rains in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka,” according to an official note.
Officials said though the arrivals have subsided at major tomato centres in Madanapalle and Kolar, prices have come down on account of seasonal arrivals from pockets in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat that have been filling the gaps in supply across the nation.
Last month to curb the spike in tomato prices which had hit Rs 90/kg in several cities, the government agencies the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF) and farmers’ cooperative Nafed had begun selling tomatoes at Rs 65/kg through various retail outlets in Delhi and neighbouring cities.
The Centre has launched this market intervention under the price stabilisation fund to manage rising tomato prices in the retail market. In July, food minister Pralhad Joshi initiated a similar move, selling tomatoes at Rs 60/kg to control price hikes.
Tomato production as per the third advance estimate of agriculture ministry was estimated at 21.3 million ton (MT) in 2023-24 crop year, an increase of 4% compared to 2022-23.
Around 18 states, including Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Punjab contribute to the country’s tomato production.
According to an official note, the cycle of planting and harvesting seasons and variation across regions are primarily responsible for price seasonality in tomatoes.
“Tomato supply is spread across the country, any production vulnerability in any of the states disturbs the supply chain,’ the note stated. The department has identified June-August and October-November as lean production months when prices rise during these months.
