Retail prices of tomato skyrocket up to Rs 77 per kg in metro cities, barring Delhi

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.

However, in Delhi, retail tomato prices were ruling at Rs 39 per kg as against Rs 30 per kg in the said period.

Retail prices of tomatoes were ruling more than Rs 100 per kg in four cities -- Port Blair, Shillong, Kottayam, and Pathanamthitta -- 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.

Traders and experts attributed the rise in retail prices to likely tight supply from key growing states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

The average all India retail price of tomato showed an increase of over 77 per cent to Rs 52.30 per kg on Wednesday from Rs 29.5 per kg in the month-ago period.