Tomato prices jump three-fold in a week

Bhubaneswar: Tomato prices in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack have skyrocketed to Rs 80 per kg, a nearly three-fold jump compared to last week, while prices of many other vegetables too have shot up. The rise in prices of the kitchen staple is pinching the pockets of denizens and eatery owners.
Vendors said short supply due to lack of local production has led to the sharp rise in prices.
“How can someone manage the kitchen, if the price of one kilo tomato jumps from Rs 25-30 to Rs 80? Without tomatoes it is difficult to make curries. I am looking for alternatives and reduced consumption from 3-5 kg a week to 1 kg,” said Madhusmita Rout, a homemaker.
Vegetable vendors said they are also worried due to the sudden rise in tomato prices and are expecting that it may cross the Rs 100 mark soon. “Tomato is the most sold vegetable. Due to the sharp rise in prices, people have reduced its consumption. In the second week of April, tomatoes were selling at Rs 20-25 per kg and now the price has increased to Rs 70-80 per kg. This is affecting our business too,” said Sushant Samantray, a vegetable vendor.
Vendors said local production of tomatoes is not adequate to meet the demand and Odisha depends on other states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka for supply. “Due to less supply of tomatoes and increase in demand, the price has shot up,” said Basant Sahu, another vendor.
Eateries, restaurants and fast food joints are the worst hit due to the price rise. “It is difficult to manage the business due to the price rise of kitchen essentials. There is absolutely no profit and we cannot make dishes tasty without tomatoes,” said Pappu, who runs a fast food stall at Unit-IV.