Tomatoes outdo onions at 40

CHANDIGARH, Nov 18: The two essentials have swapped places - the "weepy" onions and the "red hot" tomatoes. With the red...

CHANDIGARH, Nov 18: The two essentials have swapped places – the "weepy" onions and the "red hot" tomatoes. With the red orbs touching a high of Rs 40 per kg in the Sector 26 market and more in other sectors, onions come cheaper at Rs 35 per kg.

The common man is grumbling again – and not without reason. Tomato prices touched Rs 40 per kg in the Sector 26 market – a long jump from the cheap Rs 12 per kg, not more than a month ago. The "must item" is available at higher rates in other sector markets – the prices ranging from Rs 45 to even Rs 55 in some sectors of Panchkula.

Little wonder that the housewives are opting for the cheaper way out – readymade tomato puree. "Although the puree costs more – a kg of puree would cost around Rs 55, still it is being preferred," says Satish Kumar, a grocer in the Sector 47 market.

"Tomato puree might cost more but the quantity used is less. Where one uses two tomatoes, a spoonful or a little more of puree would suffice," says Neelam Arora, a housewife.

The tearjerker is causing less pain though, being available for anything between Rs 25 to Rs 35 in the Sector 26 market. The good quality onion is priced at Rs 35 while the medium sized and small sized ones are available for a "low" of Rs 25 to Rs 30 per kg.

On the flip side, the vegetables whose rates have come down include peas, cauliflower, cabbage and brinjal.