KURNOOL: The sudden rise in prices of the major kitchen staples, tomatoes and chillies, in the State have taken the households by surprise. The State has witnessed a surge in prices by two fold, as the tomato is being sold at Rs 100 per kg in retail markets of Kurnool and Vijayawada, the same juicy veggie is being sold at Rs 80 per kg in Visakhapatnam. On the other hand the prices of chillies have reached Rs 120 per kg in Kurnool.
The hike in prices have affected the markets in major tomato producing areas in Kurnool (Pathikonda), Chittoor (Madanapalle), Anantapur and Kadapa districts, impacting the exports and wholesale markets.
The traders complain that the low supply and high demand has resulted in the abnormal price hikes since the past couple of weeks. With no other option, the consumers are choosing alternatives and began using tamarind replacing tomatoes and red chilli powder replacing green chillies in their kitchen.
A couple of weeks back the prices of tomatoes were between Rs 60 and Rs 70 per kg at Pathikonda, which is one of the largest tomato yards in the State. With the slump in supply, Kurnool has witnessed the highest price in the history of the retail market.
Incessant rains and pest attacks have caused cutbacks in the supply from major tomato producing districts like Kurnool, Chittoor, Kadapa and Anantapur. Traders predict that the price will continue to increase till the end of July 15.
Stating that the Pathikonda market yard has not reported arrival of tomatoes, yard secretary M Sreenivasulu added that the farmers have yielded less produce in the last harvest and are selling them in retail markets. Maharashtra, the largest growers of tomato, was also facing the brunt of supply shortage, impacting the exports from the State to other northern regions. With this, the Madenepalle wholesale market in Andhra Pradesh, which imports tomatoes from Maharashtra, is experiencing supply shortage resulting in a two fold price hike. Madanapalle tomato records the highest price this year with Rs 80 per kg for the first grade variety.
“The stocks of tomatoes have run out and as the prices are high, there is no chance of importing or exporting the vegetable. The new arrivals of the yield would decide the price,” assistant director of marketing department DM Narayana Murthy told TNIE.
Explaining his situation, Hanumantha Rao, a trader said, “A 25-kg box of tomatoes costs around Rs 2,000 in wholesale market i.e. Rs 80 per kg. After adding transport charges, labour and other expenses, the tomatoes are to be sold at Rs 90 per kg to retailers to bag decent profit. Later, the retailers sell the vegetable to consumers at a price between Rs 100-Rs 110 per kg.” Predicting that the tomato prices might go up in the coming days, a tomato trader of Seethammadhara Rythu Bazar in Visakhapatnam urged the people to cooperate until the prices go back to normal. He further added that the prices of chillies would remain unchanged in the coming days.