Armed men stand guard in Indore market as tomatoes get expensive

Armed men stand guard as tomatoes are brought out from trucks (ANI photo)

Armed men stood guard at an Indore vegetable market in Madhya Pradesh as cartons of tomatoes were brought out from trucks and sold to customers. The guards were deployed in fear of tomatoes being stolen as the vegetable’s price has skyrocketed in recent days.

On July 20, 300 kilograms of tomatoes in 30 crates were stolen by thieves from a vegetable market in Mumbai’s Dahisar. Police have registered a case against unknown people, news agency ANI reported. The tomatoes were worth Rs 70,000. Since the market did not have CCTV cameras, police have been unable to nab the thieves. The complainant told the police that his produce have never been stolen in the past.

The price of the vegetable has touched Rs 100 per kilogram in retail markets in various parts of the country, severely pinching the pocket of the common man. Heavy spells of rain in key tomato-producing regions and a decline in supply have led to the price rise.

The prices are expected to remain the same until improved production hits the retail markets.