Tomato prices in India have witnessed a significant decline, falling below Rs 100 per kg across cities. Just a fortnight ago, tomato prices reached a peak of Rs 250-260 per kg. The government has now stepped in to sell tomatoes at a discounted price of Rs 40 per kg through two government-owned cooperatives – NAFED and NCCF. This is the first time ever that the government has had to sell tomatoes at a discounted price, highlighting the severity of the situation.
The consumer affairs ministry’s data reveals that on August 4, tomatoes were being sold at more than Rs 200 per kg across 31 centres, with the maximum price reaching Rs 257. However, within a span of two weeks, the retail price of tomatoes has dropped to over Rs 200 per kg only at two centres in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The average tomato prices in the country have fallen to Rs 96 per kg on Friday, compared to Rs 140 per kg a fortnight ago. In cities like Delhi, Kolkata, and Chennai, the prices have slipped to Rs 97, Rs 100, and Rs 52 per kg respectively. Mumbai has also witnessed a marginal decline in tomato prices, from Rs 159 per kg on August 4 to Rs 147 per kg on Friday.
Officials monitoring the availability, supply, and prices of essential commodities are optimistic that tomato prices will further decline in the next two weeks. They expect the situation to normalize by the first week of September. Estimates suggest that the monthly harvest of tomatoes will increase nearly three-fold in the next month, reaching 2.14 lakh tonnes. This number is expected to rise to 2.9 lakh tonnes in October, 3.2 lakh tonnes in November, and 3.7 lakh tonnes in December.
The falling tomato prices have been a relief for consumers who had to bear the brunt of soaring costs earlier. The government’s intervention in selling tomatoes at a discounted price has helped control the situation to some extent. However, it remains to be seen how long this decline in prices will be sustained.
For more details, you can read the full article [here](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/from-rs-260-peak-tomato-now-down-to-under-rs-100/kg/articleshow/102863894.cms).
