Tomatoes, ladies’ fingers at Rs 80/kg: Veggie price on fire, experts blame it on heavy rain
Peas are costing Rs 150 per kg, which were Rs 40 to 50 per kg a month ago. Similarly, cucumber is Rs 80 per kg, which was Rs 40 per kg a month ago
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The tomato season in Solan, known for its high-quality produce, has also been affected. (Express Archives)Vegetable prices have gone through the roof in the Tricity, with tomatoes and various other vegetables touching Rs 80 to 90 per kg. Only a fortnight ago, the price of tomatoes was just Rs 50 per kg.
While ladies’ fingers (bhindi) have touched Rs 80 per kg, which was around Rs 30 per kg a month ago, bottle gourd and pumpkin are in the range of Rs 60-80 per kg. While bottle gourd was Rs 30 per kg a month ago, pumpkin was around Rs 20 per kg.
Cauliflower, which is being sold at Rs 100 per kg, was around Rs 40 per kg a month ago while capsicum, which is being sold at Rs 120 per kg, was 60 per kg a month ago.
One kilogram of ginger is now costing Rs 250 per kg which was Rs 80 per kg a month ago. Similarly, garlic, which was being sold at Rs 100 per kg a month ago, is now costing Rs 160 per kg.
Onion is being sold at Rs 60 per kg, which was around Rs 20 per kg a month ago and potatoes, which were Rs 20 per kg earlier, are being sold at Rs 50 per kg.
Peas are costing Rs 150 per kg, which were Rs 40 to 50 per kg a month ago. Similarly, cucumber is Rs 80 per kg which was Rs 40 per kg a month ago.
Small Vegetable Sellers’ Association president Mohammad Idrish stated that “because vegetables are coming from hilly region and other states, rates have increased almost three to four times due to rain there”.
“At least till the time rain is there, there doesn’t seem any relief in sight in the vegetable and fruit prices. Vegetables like tomatoes are coming from hills, Nasik and other cities like Bangalore, where it is heavily raining,” he said.
Chandigarh grain market in Sector 26 and other places get their vegetable and fruit supplies from other states.
Another key reason
Farmers also stated that a key reason for high tomato prices is that the tomato crops have been damaged due to heavy rainfall in the Muradabad region.
The region is known for its extensive tomato farming, with tomatoes from here reaching Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi NCR and Haryana. However, the recent heavy rain in Muradabad has destroyed tomatoes in the fields.
The farmers of the region said that tomatoes are rotting on plants and the waterlogged fields are decaying the plants. As a result, the farmers are uprooting their tomato crops to make way for other cultivation.
The tomato season starts in June in Solan when the crop from irrigated areas starts reaching the market and lasts till November.
Local tomato is sold in various states such as Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Known for its quality, tomato grown in Solan district fetches a high price in the market and it is the main cash crop of the area.
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