Tomato Triumph: Mumbai’s Wallets Breathe Easier As Prices Slide To Rs 50

Mumbai, 13th August 2023: The exorbitant cost of tomatoes, particularly in Mumbai, sparked a flood of humorous memes and social media content. Yet, there’s promising news for Mumbai residents as tomato prices have now fallen to a range of Rs 80-120 due to the arrival of fresh stock.

As per a report from TOI, a new batch of tomatoes has entered the market from South India and various parts of Maharashtra, leading to a decline in prices, some even as low as Rs 50. Traders, according to TOI, anticipate a substantial reduction in prices over the next two weeks. The Vashi market saw wholesale prices in the range of Rs 50-60, according to Shankar Pingale, the director of APMC.

The rise in prices that began in May allowed farmers ample time to sow new crops over two months. While initial arrivals were primarily from Bengaluru, there’s now a fresh influx of tomatoes from other regions of Karnataka and Maharashtra. This trend is expected to continue, with the expectation that the increased local produce arriving by the end of August will lead to further reductions in rates, as per a vegetable wholesaler from Borivli quoted by TOI.

MUMBAI TOMATO PRICES

In localities like Andheri West and Byculla, tomatoes are priced at Rs 80-120 per kilogram. Meanwhile, Khar Market sees prices around Rs 100, and Bandra experiences rates of Rs 100-120. In Dadar-Matunga, the prices soar higher, reaching Rs 140 or more.

A vendor named Raja Patil from Khar Market mentioned that good-quality tomatoes were sold at Rs 100 on a recent Saturday. However, consumers are hoping for a return to the average cost of Rs 25-30 soon, according to TOI’s report.

NEPALESE TOMATOES FOR UTTAR PRADESH

In Uttar Pradesh, approximately 10 tonnes of tomatoes have been imported from Nepal and will be sold at a subsidized rate of Rs 70 per kilogram over the weekend. This initiative is being undertaken by the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Limited (NCCF) since July 11, to bolster domestic tomato availability and control prices.

FINANCE MINISTER ON TOMATO PRICE INFLATION

Recently, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman affirmed that the government is adopting measures to tackle inflation. As a part of these efforts, tomatoes are being imported from Nepal to meet demand and curb escalating prices. Sitharaman emphasized the work of a Group of Ministers in taking timely steps to manage prices, which are impacting the general populace. These comments were made during her participation in a debate on a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha.