Tomato prices expected to drop with arrival of new crop: Govt

The Centre on Friday said retail prices of tomatoes are expected to fall with higher supply of new crops from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

Prices of tomato are expected to come down with the increase in arrival of new crop from Nashik, Naryangaon and Aurangabad belt in Maharashtra and also from Madhya Pradesh, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ashwini Kumar Choubey said in Rajya Sabha in written answer.

Reasons for price rise

Choubey attributed the recent increase in prices to a combination of factors like “crop seasonality, white fly disease in Kolar (Karnataka), instantaneous arrival of monsoon rains in northern part of the country which adversely affected tomato crops in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh and logistics disruptions in isolated areas due to heavy rains”.

He said the “current increase in tomato prices may incentivise farmers to grow more tomato crop which is expected to stabilise the prices in coming months”.

The minister informed that the average daily retail price of tomato had crossed Rs 150 per kg in Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the week July 10-16.