Tomato and onion prices to soar in August and September, consumers to face high rates
1 min read 05 Aug 2023, 12:27 PM ISTTomato prices in India are likely to reach ₹300 per kilogram due to transportation difficulties and rain damage, while onion prices are also expected to increase in September.
PremiumConsumers are unlikely to get any relief from the high rates of vegetables, especially tomatoes even in August. According to wholesale traders, the tomatoes price are likely to touch ₹300 per kilogram in the coming days and the prices of other vegetables are also likely to shoot up.
Tomato prices have been under pressure for more than a month now. Besides, rain fury has worsened the supply, causing further price increases.
"There is a lot of difficulty in the transportation of vegetables due to landslides and heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh. It takes 6 to 8 hours more than usual in the exportation of vegetables from the producers due to which the price of tomato might reach nearly ₹300 per kilogram," Azadpur Mandi wholesaler Sanjai Bhagat told PTI.
Wholesale prices of tomato at Azadpur mandi in Delhi, Asia's largest wholesale fruits and vegetables market, were hovering between Rs170-220 per kg, depending on the quality.
In south and central India too, the rainfall has disrupted the prices of tomatoes. At the beginning of August, wholesale rates of tomatoes touched new peaks of ₹180- 200/ kg for superior varieties in Karnataka and Maharashtra.
'COSTLY ONIONS'
After tomatoes, costly onion rates will pinch the household budgets of the common man, according to the report by Crisil Market Intelligence and Analytics.
According to the report, prices of onions are likely to go escalate in September. Onion prices are likely to start shooting up in the retail market towards the end of August before going up further to around ₹60-70 per kg next month due to tightened supplies.
Crisil report said, "The supply-demand imbalance is expected to reflect in onion prices towards end-August. As per our ground interactions, prices are expected to show a significant increase from early September in the retail market, reaching up to ₹60-70 per kg during the lean patch. However, prices will remain below the highs of 2020".
'PRICE STABILISATION'
Crisil report has anticipated that onion supplies will ease once Kharif arrivals start in October. The price movement in the festive months (October-December) is expected to stabilise, the report stated.
