The current monsoon season has dealt a severe blow to agricultural yields, with tomato prices experiencing an unprecedented surge in recent days. Plagued by a dire shortage, the cost of tomatoes has skyrocketed, surpassing the Rs 80 mark per kilogram over the past week. The prices are likely to worsen with a kg of tomatoes costing Rs 100 per kg.
According to The Hindu, the scarcity of tomatoes can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, there has been a decrease in tomato cultivation compared to previous years. Farmers in the Kolar region, a major tomato-producing area, shifted their focus to beans after witnessing a significant rise in bean prices last year. Unfortunately, the deficient monsoon has resulted in crops drying up and withering, causing tomato yields in the district to plummet to just 30% of their usual output.
Compounding the issue, Maharashtra, another significant tomato supplier, has also suffered crop losses. Consequently, traders from West Bengal, Odisha, and even Bangladesh have flocked to Karnataka's markets to secure tomato supplies.
While tomatoes have been the most severely affected, other vegetables have also witnessed price hikes. The cost of beans now ranges from Rs 120 to Rs 140 per kilogram, and certain varieties of carrots are inching closer to the Rs 100 mark. This escalation in prices is not limited to vegetables alone, as eggs have also experienced a significant increase. Each egg now costs between Rs 7 and Rs 8, compared to the previous range of Rs 5 to Rs 6.