Giving a much-needed respite to the consumers, the prices of tomatoes are showing a steep fall in the city’s wholesale markets for the past two weeks. From its recent peak of Rs 125-150 per kg in the wholesale market, tomato prices have now dipped to a level of Rs 15-18 per kg on Monday. Though the price correction is happening on the expected lines as supply from nearby districts increases, tomato prices are yet to come down to its normal levels. Ram Mahajan, Secretary of Mahatma Phule Sabji Bazaar Association, “Ideally the tomatoes should be sold at a price of about Rs 10 per kg at this point in time when we start getting enough supply from the farmers,” he said.

 

According to him, the prices are likely to fall below Rs 10 per kg within the next two weeks. “Right now we are receiving a good quantity of tomatoes from farmers in places like Sangamner, Nashik, Nanded, Pandharpur, Paratwada, Buldhana and Chhindwara. In addition to this, local farmers are also supplying tomatoes which has changed the market scenario,” he said. Here onwards, the markets will receive huge quantities of tomatoes along with other varieties of vegetables from farmers and there will be no storage. It is important to note that retailers sold tomatoes at a throw away price during winter. But during the first two weeks of July, there was a huge gap in supply and demand of tomatoes which had pushed the prices to all time high.

 

The prices of tomato had skyrocketed and touched Rs 150 per kg mark at one stage in the wholesale markets and Rs 200 per kg in the city’s retail markets. It is worth mentioning here that the wholesalers in the Kalamna market yard, including Kailash Hiwrale, had said tomato supply would streamline after August 15. Tomatoes witness short supply as it is mainly available only in some parts of South India during monsoon. Apart from Madanapalle, some farmers in places like Bagepalli, Kolar, and parts of Bengaluru supply tomatoes during the season. But from August end, tomatoes start arriving from Solapur, Aurangabad, Nanded, Buldhana, Chhinwada, Gondia and other nearby districts and the prices fall dramatically.