MADURAI: After the Koyambedu market in Chennai, the retail price of tomatoes crossed Rs 100 in the Madurai market on Friday. Sources said the skyrocketing price is majorly due to the shortage of arrival and sporadic rainfall which has affected the supply.
According to traders from Madurai, the daily tomato needs of the central market, which supplies vegetables to several southern districts, is nearly 300 metric tonnes per day. Of this 300 tonnes, more than 80% of tomatoes arrive from neighbouring states -- mainly from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka -- and the remaining 20% is from local cultivators in Madurai and Theni districts. However, the current arrival has shrunk to 75 metric tonnes and even lesser at the Central market in Madurai, in which the prices of tomatoes are being sold for above Rs 100.
President of the All Vegetable Traders Association in Madurai Central Market Chinnamayan told TNIE, “Considering the increased festival and auspicious events, the demand for vegetables has notably increased drastically over a couple of days, especially for tomatoes. On Friday, one kg of tomatoes was sold at Rs 80 wholesale and Rs 100 in retail markets in Madurai.”
He added that on an average 15-kilo crate of tomatoes from Andhra Pradesh was sold between Rs 800 to Rs 1,000. Accordingly, with the arrival of local cultivations, the prices of locally grown tomatoes are rising, he further said, adding that the 15-kilo crate from a local cultivator which was sold at Rs 650 to Rs 800 increased to Rs 700 to Rs 900 on Friday.
Another trader from the Central Market said, similar to the spike in tomato price, the cost of butter beans, turnip, bitter gourd (small), and drumstick is at Rs 100 per kilogram on Friday.