Traders have said that there will be ups and downs in tomato prices till the end of the rainy season.
The Coimbatore market usually receives large quantities of tomatoes from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The supply of tomatoes to the Coimbatore market has halved in the last few days due to the heavy rains. Thus the price of tomatoes rose sharply. Wholesale tomatoes sell for up to Rs 100 a kg and retail outlets for up to Rs 150 a kg.
Then due to the lack of heavy rains, the supply of tomatoes to the Coimbatore market started increasing again for the last 3 days. Thus the price of tomato was reduced to Rs.50. Thus the housewives were relieved. The supply of tomatoes to the Coimbatore market was reduced yesterday due to heavy rains again. Tomatoes came on sale in only 51 trucks. Tomatoes are usually sold in 60 to 70 lorries on normal days.
Tomato supply is declining and prices are starting to rise again. Yesterday it was selling at Rs 60 per kg in wholesale shops and Rs 80 per kg in retail outlets. Thus housewives are again concerned. Traders have said that there will be ups and downs in tomato prices till the end of the rainy season.
Tomato wholesaler Jaber Ali Chad said.
It is raining continuously in Palani, Ottansathram and Udumalaipettai areas where tomato production is taking place in Tamil Nadu. Due to this, the tomato production that took place there has been affected. Following this, traders from the southern districts including Trichy and Madurai are buying tomatoes from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Due to this the demand for tomatoes is increasing. Also, due to two days of rains in these areas, tomato production has been affected and prices have started rising. Thus he said.