Explained: The reasons behind skyrocketing tomato prices

Why the sudden rise in price?

The surge in tomato prices can be attributed to a combination of factors, including delayed monsoon, inadequate production and extreme heat. The sudden rise in temperatures during March and April has also been identified as a significant cause, as it led to pest attacks on tomato crops, resulting in lower yields and higher market rates. Further, the supply of tomatoes has been disrupted in the past two weeks from the producing states, where the harvesting and transportation processes have been adversely affected. These circumstances have had a notable impact on the availability and affordability of tomatoes.

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What about vegetable prices?

While the rise in tomato prices has been the talk of town, other vegetables, including cabbage, chillies, ladyfinger, cauliflower and potatoes, have also seen a slight rise in prices in some states. As reported by the Times of India, vegetable prices in Patna have experienced a substantial increase since the start of May. The cost of cauliflower reached ₹60 per kg, compared to ₹40 per kg in early May. Likewise, cabbage costs ₹60 per kg now instead of ₹30-40 per kg earlier. The prices of potatoes and onions have also gone up, from ₹20 per kg in early May to ₹30 per kg in July. In states like West Bengal, there has been a 30 to 35 percent increase in average vegetable prices, according to the Press Trust of India. The reason why tomato prices have seen the highest spurt could be because its production is limited to certain parts of the country, thereby adding to the transportation charges, as well as their lower shelf life. ​

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Which are the major tomato producing regions in India?

As per the Ministry of Agriculture, the major tomato producing states are Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Tamil Nadu. These states account for 91 percent of the total tomato production of the country.

When will prices reduce?

The government recently commented on the rising prices of tomatoes and stated that the current surge is due to a seasonal phenomenon, and that prices are likely to decrease within the next 15 days and normalise within a month.