Tomato prices touch Rs 130 in parts of Andhra Pradesh

This is reported to be among the highest prices ever reported at the Madanapalle market yard, one of Asia’s largest markets.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes
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The price of tomatoes has soared in Andhra Pradesh, reaching as much as Rs 130 in the wholesale market, among the highest prices ever reported. The Madanapalle market yard is one of Asia’s largest, and according to reports, the highest prices previously reported was Rs 98 per kilo. The market exports to several states in the country.

The New Indian Express reported that the market has not been getting adequate stocks from some parts of the mandal. It added that higher quality tomatoes have gone up from Rs 6-14 per kilo wholesale at September-end to Rs 50-Rs 70 in the last week.

Heavy rainfall in many parts of Andhra, Karnataka and the Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu, where the crop is cultivated in large areas, have been flooded with water. In many parts of Andhra, either the entire crop is lost or more than 80% of the cultivated crop is damaged.

Traders in Tamil Nadu said that farmers are heavily hit as almost the entire crop in Andhra Pradesh has been damaged due to the heavy rainfall and waterlogging in farms.

On Tuesday, prices were ruling at Rs 91 per kg in Vijayawada, Rs 80 per kg in Visakhapatnam and Rs 75 per kg in Tirupati.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, detailing the havoc caused by heavy rains and floods between November 13 and 20, mainly in Anantapur, Kadapa, Chittoor and SPS Nellore districts.

All India modal retail price of tomato stood at Rs 40 per kg on October 1 and shot up to Rs 50 per kg by end of the month. The prices further rose to Rs 80 per kg on November 23.

There has been a sharp rise in retail tomato prices in major cities of south India due to widespread moderate to heavy rainfalls during the northeast monsoon since the first week of November due to frequent formations of low-pressure areas in the Bay of Bengal, or cyclonic circulation in the Arabian Sea. As a result, the tomato crop has been damaged causing tight supply.

With inputs from agencies

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