CHENNAI: Time is ripe to have tomato soup and chutney.
Due to a good monsoon and increased supply, the retail price of tomatoes has come down 10 and touched 15 in city. The native variety is available for 8 a kilogram at the Koyambedu market and it is available for 13 to 15 a kilogram at retail shops. The Bengaluru variety is available at Rs 15 in wholesale and 30 to 35 a kilogram in retail stores.
Traders at Koyambedu market said supply of tomatoes has increased by 50% in the past few weeks. "We used to get 40 loads of tomatoes every day. Now it has increased to 60 loads a day due to increase in produce," said V R Soundararajan from the Koyambedu Traders' Association.
In Madurai, the price dropped to 7 a kilogram at wholesale markets and to 10 in retail markets. Last month, the wholesale rate was 40 a kilogram.
With prices dropping, the Madurai central market which gets tomatoes from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh has stopped getting supplies. "The price is too low to meet the transport cost so they are dumping it in the borders or stopping with Chennai," said Mattuthavani wholesale vegetable market president P S Murugan.
Cabbage and raddish are being sold at 10 a kilogram and a kilogram of kohlrabi costs 15. "They are the cheapest vegetables available now," said a vendor in T Nagar.
However, prices of coconuts and drumsticks have increased in recent weeks. While a coconut sold for 25 in the wholesale market, drumsticks sold for 110 a kilogram. "Once local produce reaches the market, these prices will come down," a vendor said.
Due to a good monsoon and increased supply, the retail price of tomatoes has come down 10 and touched 15 in city. The native variety is available for 8 a kilogram at the Koyambedu market and it is available for 13 to 15 a kilogram at retail shops. The Bengaluru variety is available at Rs 15 in wholesale and 30 to 35 a kilogram in retail stores.
Traders at Koyambedu market said supply of tomatoes has increased by 50% in the past few weeks. "We used to get 40 loads of tomatoes every day. Now it has increased to 60 loads a day due to increase in produce," said V R Soundararajan from the Koyambedu Traders' Association.
In Madurai, the price dropped to 7 a kilogram at wholesale markets and to 10 in retail markets. Last month, the wholesale rate was 40 a kilogram.
With prices dropping, the Madurai central market which gets tomatoes from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh has stopped getting supplies. "The price is too low to meet the transport cost so they are dumping it in the borders or stopping with Chennai," said Mattuthavani wholesale vegetable market president P S Murugan.
Cabbage and raddish are being sold at 10 a kilogram and a kilogram of kohlrabi costs 15. "They are the cheapest vegetables available now," said a vendor in T Nagar.
However, prices of coconuts and drumsticks have increased in recent weeks. While a coconut sold for 25 in the wholesale market, drumsticks sold for 110 a kilogram. "Once local produce reaches the market, these prices will come down," a vendor said.
Get the app