No respite from high tomato prices for next two weeks

PUNE: You may have to wait for cheaper tomatoes till mid-August as prices of the vegetable will start coming down in next two weeks after the fresh arrival from Nashik and Bangaluru regions.

However, retail tomato prices cooled down by about 20 per cent in most parts of Maharashtra except Mumbai on Thursday as traders slashed grower level prices by 30 per cent to 40 per cent citing issues with quality of the vegetable.

At the Narayangaon sub-yard of Junnar APMC, tomato prices cooled down by 30 per cent in last two days as consistent rainfall has damaged tomato quality. Farmer level prices declined from Rs 60/kg on Tuesday to Rs 40/kg (maximum) to Rs 25/kg (minimum) on Thursday. In Delhi's Azadpur APMC, wholesale tomato prices were Rs 40/kg to Rs 60/kg.


The arrival of tomatoes at Narayangaon was 30,000 crates of 20 kilograms each on Thursday. "Prices declined mainly due to quality of the vegetable," said Chetan Rukari, secretary of Junnar APMC. As against an expected arrival of 1 lakh crates per day, the market has been getting only about 25,000 to 30,000 crates per day of tomatoes.

If quality improves and shortages continue, prices may rise further slightly, say traders.

Traders expect prices to remain firm till August 15, after which, tomato arrival from Nashik as well as Bangaluru region will gather pace. Abrar Pathan, a trader currently based in Narayangaon said, "Market will begin to cool down now as tomatoes from Nashik belt will start coming to the market."