Tomato prices to cool down by first fortnight of July in THIS state
2 min read 29 Jun 2023, 08:17 AM ISTTomato prices in Andhra Pradesh will settle down by the first half of July, according to Agriculture Marketing Commissioner Rahul Pandey. The fluctuations in prices are due to the short gaps between the three tomato crops cultivated in the state.
PremiumAgriculture Marketing Commissioner Rahul Pandey on Wednesday said that the fluctuations in tomato prices will settle down by the first fortnight of July in Andhra Pradesh. He explained that one crop just got over and another is in the process of reaching the market.
In Andhra Pradesh, three tomato crops cultivate a year and the short gaps between these crops sometimes create price fluctuations, according to a report published by the news agency PTI.
“Tomato (prices) will settle within a week. This is routine, nothing to panic about it. Within a short period, things will settle down because one crop is getting over. We get three crops of tomatoes every year. One crop is getting over and soon the second crop will come into the market," Pandey told PTI
He also shared the list of prices at which tomatoes were selling in various Rythu Bazaars in the state -- ₹70 per kg in Machilipatnam, ₹70 in MVP Colony, Vizag, ₹50 in Rajamundry, ₹64 in Kurnool and ₹74 in Anantapur.
The announcement came as a part of an official intervention to cool down the tomato prices in the state.
Pandey also said the office of the CEO of the Rythu Bazaar, which falls under his purview, has bought 12 tonnes of tomatoes and dispatched 10 tonnes to Kurnool and two tonnes to Kadapa.
“Arrangements are being made to dispatch a few tonnes of tomatoes to Vizag and Vijayawada. The highly perishable nature of the vegetable makes it extremely volatile to prices," he said.
On Tuesday, tomatoes cost ₹90 in the open market and ₹75 in Rythu Bazaars in Vizag. Sudden showers will damage the crop and even a slight break in the supply chains will result in massive impact, he added.
Pandey stated that the objective is to control the price of tomatoes between ₹50 and ₹65, whereas official intervention comes in only when they hit the ₹100 mark, as per PTI reports.
Incessant rains have had adverse effects on tomato prices across the country. Tomato prices have surged from ₹10-20 per kilogram to ₹80-100 per kilogram due to the limited supply caused by crop damage from heavy rainfall and extreme heat.
Tomato is now being sold at ₹100 per kg while a week ago it was sold at ₹40 to 50 per kg in the UP's Kanpur market, in Delhi it is being sold at ₹80 per Kg, causing financial strain on consumers. The wholesale prices of tomatoes range from ₹80-90 per kg while the retail shops are selling tomatoes for ₹100 per kg.
(With PTI inputs)
