IT'S NOW THE TURN OF TOMATO

PRICES TOUCH Rs.80 KG

After onion, retail prices of tomatoes have soared up to Rs 80 per kg in the national capital on lower supplies from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Mother Dairy, which has about 400 retail outlets in the national capital region, is selling tomatoes at Rs 64 per kg, while local vendors are charging Rs 70-80 per kg. Last week, tomoato prices were ruling at Rs 40 per kg. According to traders at Delhi's wholesale mandi at Azadpur, tomato prices have gone up sharply as arrivals from Himachal Pradesh have almost stopped with onset of winter, while supplies from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are also low. Arrival of tomatoes have declined in Delhi to 15-20 trucks against 35-40 trucks before Diwali, they added. Onion prices have moderated to 60 per kg, down from peak of Rs 100 kg last month. Potato, onion and tomatoes are the three most common vegetables used in every household. As per the government data, tomato was being sold at Rs 80 per kg in Port Blair and Rs 70 in Aizwal. It was cheapest Rs 15 per kg in Bhopal. The average for 57 cities was Rs 40 per kg. Tomato was ruling at Rs 60 per kg in Jammu, Cuttack and Rourkela and Rs 45 in Thiruvananthapuram. The data put price ruling in Delhi at Rs 48 per kg even though retail rates were as high as Rs 80 per kg. Besides the household demand, the commodity was being sought in greater numbers by manufacturers of tomato ketchup and purees, putting pressure on the prices.