Rise in tomato prices leaves a sour taste

t has been a couple of years of highs and lows for tomatoes, a staple fruit in many kitchens. From record highs to as low as ₹10 per kg, the prices have varied. Now, after a brief stable period, tomato prices have shot up again by almost 100% in the last two weeks due to a severe supply crunch in the market. 

It has been a couple of years of highs and lows for tomatoes, a staple fruit in many kitchens. From record highs to as low as ₹10 per kg, the prices have varied. Now, after a brief stable period, tomato prices have shot up again by almost 100% in the last two weeks due to a severe supply crunch in the market. 

While the selling price in wholesale markets was around ₹40 per kg, in retail markets, tomatoes were selling at anywhere between ₹70 to ₹90 per kg on Sunday. Even on online retail marts, the selling price was anywhere between ₹80 to ₹100 per kg, depending on the size and quality. 

“The price gradually went up over a period of three weeks. With upcoming festivals, it might go up further. There is a supply shortfall in the market as farmers have not cultivated tomatoes much in the State in the last two months due to the rain. Along with that, tomatoes have also been disease ridden which hampers quality and shelf life. Hence, the price has gone up. It might come down after the festival,” said Manjunath Reddy, a vegetable trader in K. R. Market. 

Rain is not the only reason why tomato cultivation has taken a back seat in the State. The crop has been attacked by one or the other disease in the last few years, according to farmers. 

“In the last five to six years, it has been one disease after another for tomatoes. First it was blight, then there was spot disease and for the last two years, it has been bingi leaf curl disease which has attacked tomato crop. The disease attacks the plant during the flowering stage and reduces the yield by almost 80 to 90%,” explained Nalini Gowda, president, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Kolar district. 

When tomatoes sold at a record price last year, many farmers enthusiastically cultivated the crop. But after making huge investments, they were disappointed by the yield. With the crop getting infected, its shelf life dropped to just 48 hours, thereby even affecting exports. 

“We used to export tomatoes to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and other neighbouring countries. We also used to send it to other states in India. But now, even with all the precautions taken by the farmers, tomatoes are rotting within two days. With all these factors, the price rise of tomatoes has been of little to no help to farmers,” Ms. Gowda said.