Tomato prices ruling up to ₹250/kg; Centre selling at ₹90/kg in Delhi-NCR, Patna, Lucknow

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Tomato prices in retail markets on Saturday remained as high as 250 rupees per kg across major cities due to monsoon rains and lean season.

The average price across India was around 117 rupees per kilogram, according to government data.

For the convenience of retail consumers, the center sells tomatoes at a discount of $90/kg in select cities like Delhi NCR, Patna and Lucknow.

National Federation of Cooperative Consumers of India (NCCF) and National Federation of Cooperative Agricultural Marketing of India (NAFED) are Selling tomatoes on behalf of the center through mobile trucks.

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“In addition to various parts of Delhi and Noida, sale of tomatoes at reduced prices has started today in Lucknow, Patna and Muzaffarpur,” Union Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh wrote on Twitter.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs said in a statement that about 18,000 kilograms of tomatoes were sold through Delhi NCR to retail consumers.

“This seems to have had an effect as on Saturday there was a sharp drop in Azadpur Mandi (wholesale) prices and a slight drop in retail prices,” she added.

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“We started selling in Lucknow on Saturday and 7,000 kilograms were sold. On Sunday, we will intervene in the retail market in Kanpur as well with interventions continuing in Delhi and Lucknow,” the ministry said.

From Sunday onwards, NCCF plans to sell the tomatoes through 100 Kendriya Bhandar outlets in the national capital. It is in talks with Mother Dairy to sell the tomatoes through 400 Safal retail outlets in Delhi-NCR.

According to data compiled by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, the average retail price of tomatoes across India was set at €116.86 per kg on Saturday, while the maximum was €250 per kg and the minimum was €25 per kg. The typical price of tomatoes is $100 per kilogram.

Among metros, tomatoes ruled at ₹178 per kg in Delhi, followed by ₹150 per kg in Mumbai, and ₹132 per kg in Chennai.

The maximum price was 250 rupees per kg in Hapur Town.

Tomato prices usually rise during July, August, October and November, which are generally the production months.

Disruption of supplies due to the monsoons caused prices to skyrocket.