Tomato prices have increased four to five times due to cyclone.
Prices of tomato as well as other vegetables have increased significantly in many parts of Rajasthan due to various factors, including heavy rainfall caused by cyclonic storm Biparjoy, according to wholesalers.
According to them, tomato prices have increased four to five times due to heavy rainfall caused by cyclonic storm Biparjoy followed by the onset of monsoon season that has destroyed the produce of farmers.
The prices of all vegetables have also increased by one to two times, they said.
Om Prakash Jain of Gurukripa, a wholesaler of vegetables in Muhana Mandi in Jaipur, said the produce of local farmers got destroyed due to the rains in the past days caused by Biparjoy cyclonic activity and it did not reach the local market.
"The produce of the farmers around Jaipur used to come to the mandi for sale is not coming as it got destroyed in the rains. Most of the vegetables, including tomatoes, are coming from Bangalore, Nashik, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh," Jain said.
Due to the arrival of vegetables from outside the state, the price has increased, he said, adding that tomatoes from Bangalore and Nashik are reaching for Rs 60-65 per kg in the wholesale. After adding one per cent mandi tax, six per cent commission, and wages, it costs about Rs 80-85 per kg. Tomatoes are being sold in the retail market at Rs 100-120 per kg.
Another wholesaler said that 15 days ago, green chilies were being sold in the wholesale market at Rs 3 per kg, which is being sold at Rs 25 per kg today. On the other hand, bitter gourd which was being sold at Rs 8-10 per kg, today is up for sale at Rs 25 per kg and the prices of lady finger, cabbage, ginger, lemon, ridge gourd and round gourd, among others, have also increased manifold.
Moolchand, a vegetable retailer, said tomato, which he sold for Rs 20 to 25 per kg 15 days ago, has now reached Rs 100 to 120 per kg.
He said that along with tomatoes, the prices of other vegetables also increased by two times. The sudden rise in the prices of vegetables has dwindled the kitchen budget of homemakers.
Bhawna Joshi, a homemaker, said that tomatoes have gone out of reach. It has affected the budget so we are buying them in lesser quantities.
Till now, we were using them in salads but with their soaring prices, we are using them only to make curry.
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