Thiruvananthapuram: Tomato price is skyrocketing and has crossed Rs 100 a kilo in Thiruvananthapuram. The price of Tomato in the open market ranged from Rs 100 to Rs 110 for a kg on Tuesday. Green chilly was priced at Rs 60. Carrot was another vegetable which was priced high between Rs 75 to Rs 85. Price of other vegetables are as follows: Lady's finger (Rs 55- Rs 65), Onion (Rs 17-Rs 20), Potato (Rs 24-Rs 26), Beans (Rs 45-Rs 55), Beetroots (Rs 44- Rs 55), Cucumber (Rs 40-Rs 45), Drumstick (Rs 56-Rs 65), Yam (Rs 45- Rs 50), Bitter gourd (Rs 45-Rs 55), Mango (Rs 42-Rs 45), Snakegourd (Rs 40- Rs 45), Brinjal (Rs 45-Rs 50) Garlic (Rs 80-Rs 90) and Capsicum (Rs 65- Rs 75). However, there was a drop in the prices of small onions which was priced at Rs 110- Rs 120 per kg and now has fallen to Rs 85 too. This was when the small onions had been priced very high last month.
Meanwhile, in Kochi, prices of most of the popular varieties like small onion, tomato and carrot have increased many folds in the last couple of weeks. Prices of few vegetables remain stable while prices of shallot (small onion), tomato and carrot have skyrocketed. Small onion is sold at Rs 90 per kg in wholesale market while the retail price is Rs 100 to Rs 110. Tomato is sold at Rs 75 in wholesale markets while the retail price is Rs 85.
“Decrease in production in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and jacking up prices by exporting agencies are the primary reasons for price escalation. With reduced production, demand for these vegetables is high and exporting agencies take a major chunk of the stock at very high prices. Hence, they are not sending enough loads to markets in Kerala,” said Shameel M., wholesale dealer in Ernakulam market.
