Tomato prices decrease, available for below Rs 100 per kg in Chennai
As more local tomatoes are likely to arrive in the market, the rates are expected to decrease further by the month end, traders said.
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CHENNAI: Tomato prices decreased in the city after receiving 500 tons supply from Tamil Nadu, and neighboring states on Friday.
The first range of tomatoes in both wholesale and retail shops is sold for Rs 70 to Rs 80 per kg. As more local tomatoes are likely to arrive in the market, the rates are expected to decrease further by the month end, traders said.
“There is an increase in supply from several parts of Tamil Nadu including Udumalaipettai, Hosur, and Dindigul, so tomatoes are available below Rs 100 per kg after a month. The tomatoes are purchased for Rs 60 per kg from Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, and it has been sold for Rs 70 per kg in the wholesale market here. We have received additional 150 tons of tomatoes compared to the previous weeks,” said R Prabhakaran, a tomato wholesale trader at Koyambedu wholesale market.
Earlier, the prices of tomatoes hiked from Rs 40 to Rs 200 per kg, and almost after a month, the sale of tomatoes has surged as both retail vendors and customers purchase more than a kilogram. Traders stated that an adequate supply of tomatoes is expected to receive from north India from next week. Similarly, the price has been decreased by 5 to 10 percent in retail shops on Friday.
Tomatoes range from Rs 60 to 80 per kg in retail markets, where vendors purchased 25 kilograms of tomatoes for Rs 2,000 from Koyambedu market.
“There has been a marginal increase in the sale for the past two days. In addition, even tomatoes are sold for Rs 60 which is a third-range vegetable customers won’t spend to purchase small and damaged tomatoes. However, there has been no wastage in recent days as we are able to stock the perishable commodities for two days,” said C Karthik, who owns a vegetable shop in Nesapakkam.