After the significant rise in lemon prices took the country by storm, another instance of inflation was witnessed in several cities of India, with the prices of tomatoes doubling in metropolitans like Mumbai and Chennai on June 1.
It was noted that the tomato prices skyrocketed on the first of this month, as the rates remained below Rs 50 in most cities, places like Mumbai and Chennai saw a major increase in the per kg rates of the essential vegetable, crossing the Rs 70-mark.
Barring Delhi, retail tomato prices skyrocketed up to Rs 77 per kg in other metro cities on Wednesday from over a month-ago period on a likely tight supply of the commodity, according to the government data.
As per the data maintained by the consumer affairs ministry, the retail price of tomatoes rose to Rs 77 per kg in Kolkata on June 1 from Rs 25 per kg on April 30. In Mumbai too, retail tomato price rose to Rs 74 per kg on June 1 from Rs 36 per kg on May 1, while in Chennai it rose to Rs 62 per kg from Rs 47 per kg in the said period, the data showed.
Though the tomato prices in several metro cities doubled from April to June, the national capital witnessed a slight increase in the rates. In Delhi, retail tomato prices were ruling at Rs 39 per kg in June as against Rs 30 per kg in April, as per PTI reports.
A major price hike in the rate of tomatoes was witnessed in four cities - Port Blair, Shillong, Kottayam, and Pathanamthitta – where the prices of the vegetable were ruling over Rs 100 on Wednesday.
Retail prices in key producing states - Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharasthra- have shot up significantly and were ruling between Rs 50 and Rs 100 per kg in different cities, as per the data.
According to reports, the average price of tomatoes across India witnessed a hike of 77 percent in the span of one month. Traders and experts attributed the rise in retail prices to likely tight supply from key growing states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
(With PTI inputs)
READ | Inflation alert! After lemon, price of this essential vegetable goes through the roof
