Chennai: Floods in neighboring Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have resulted in a surge in tomato prices in the city, which costs RS 160 per kg in most markets.
While fresh tomatoes are not available less than Rs 120 per kilogram anywhere in Chennai, tomatoes of other varieties are Beng sold for Rs 80 per kg in several parts of the city.
Acute deficiencies in supply of essential commodities have produced a new high-touching price.
The Koyambedu wholesale market receives about one and a half times fewer tomatoes on Monday.
This is one of the lowest migrants in the past two weeks.
The retail market in Mandaveli, Mylapore and Nandanam sells tomatoes between Rs 140 – Rs 160 per kilogram, while the application-based wholesale startup sells tomatoes for Rs 120 per kg.
Because of lack of supply, in many environmental grocery stores, tomatoes are sold out in the morning.
Vendors on Jalan Mada Selatan in Mylapore said tomato prices reached Rs 200 per kg on Sundays.
Some vendors offer it for Rs 80, but the quality is bad.
On Monday, the city wholesale market recorded the arrival of only 25 trucks, each of which carried an average of 10 tons of tomatoes.
Arrival has dropped at least 400 tons compared to normal days, when the market is used to be flooded with tomatoes with an average weight.
Tomatoes are sold between 100 and 125 in Koyambedu.
S Chandran, Secretary of the Federation of the Wholesale Vegetable Market Association in Koyambedu, said that the belt of tomato cultivation at Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka had been hit with rain and flooding.
“For example, 27 kg of tomatoes purchased for 500 directly from the farm field are being sold for 3000.
Prices are one of the most expensive for tomatoes,” he said.