Tomato prices red hot at Rs 90

BENGALURU: The price of one of kitchen’s most essential items and prime cooking ingredient - tomatoes - has shot up to Rs 90 per kilo in the retail market. Even as the rates at Hopcoms outlets on Sunday was Rs 75, in retail, the prices for Nati and farm ranged from Rs 80-90, also depending upon the size.

Worried with the steep rise in prices as the Hopcoms officials said that they will look into it as to how the prices could be scaled down and controlled, retailers said that since they are getting at higher prices and with difficulty they are unable to do anything. 

Due to rise in price and drop in demand many hand cart stalls have stopped selling tomatoes. They are getting limited quantities for sale going door to door in push carts. “My daughter likes tomato curry, but when I heard the rate, I decided not to buy tomatoes at all. Instead I would use ketchup for dishes as that is affordable,” said Nupur K, a homemaker.

A daily wage worker, Shanthi said with prices of tomatoes soaring, the family has decided to buy only essential items for cooking.  Farmers and dealers at yard say the heavy rainfall is hampering the crops.