KOLAR: Tomato prices are likely to double if rain continues to lash Maharashtra and northern parts of the country over the next few days. On Sunday, a crate of tomato (15 kg) at the Kolar APMC market, which is the second-biggest market in Asia, sold for Rs 750, while only three days ago, the prices hovered around Rs 250-350 per crate. If the situation continues, by next week, the retail price of tomato would touch Rs 85 per kg in Karnataka, wholesale traders predicted.
Kiran, secretary, APMC market, said heavy rain in Maharashtra, which is a major producer of the crop, has affected supplies to Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Haryana and also Tamil Nadu.
This has spurred the demand for tomatoes from Kolar. On Sunday, over 200 vehicles carrying over 2,500 tonnes of the fruit left from the APMC market to different destinations, he added.
Even in Kolar, the demand is high for quality tomatoes as a large number of farmers had not taken up tomato farming as prices were falling steeply over the last four months, he said.
CMR Srinath, a tomato farmer and merchant at the APMC market, said he got information that heavy rain has affected the tomato crop in large areas of Maharashtra. If showers continue in the neighbouring state for another week, the prices at the Kolar APMC market would touch Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 per crate, he said.