Tomatoes costlier than mangoes in Telangana

Hyderabad: It is a case of role reversal. So far mangoes were selling for about Rs 150 per kg but now the rates of mangoes have come down to Rs 80 per kg while the rates of tomatoes have skyrocketed to Rs 100 per kg.

According to vegetable dealers, this situation had arisen because of low production during the peak summer and unseasonal rains which damaged the standing crops around Hyderabad city. In the retail market, tomato prices on Tuesday were between Rs 90 to Rs 100 per kg. Online sellers are supplying tomatoes at Rs 78 per kg. They are charging Rs 100 per kg for organic tomatoes.

Wholesalers said that the supply of tomato from the Madanapalle market in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh had gone down drastically for the last two days and hence the prices shot up overnight. Officials of the state Agricultural Marketing department said that the prices will remain high for another two weeks until the supply increases in the open market.

The authorities are holding talks with the tomato suppliers from Karnataka to import tomato to reduce the price burden on the consumer.

Generally, tomato cultivation is less in Telangana between April and August as farmers prefer to go for other crops. During this period, Telangana depends on the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Sometimes, it even buys tomatoes from Uttar Pradesh.

The arrival of tomato stocks at Bowenpally wholesale market on Tuesday had hit an all-time low. A box of 25 kg tomato was being sold at Rs 1,700 in the wholesale market and at Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 in the retail market.