The cost of tomatoes might soon dip below INR 100/kg at nearby produce shops, considering that wholesale prices of this essential kitchen ingredient have plummeted by over 30% at a prominent tomato market in Maharashtra. This market is a major source of tomato supplies from August to December.
Typically, the retail costs of vegetables at consumer hubs are twice, or even more, the wholesale prices. This is primarily attributed to additional expenses such as transportation, market handling charges, middlemen commissions, and retail markups.
According to officials, the influx of tomatoes at the Pimpalgaon Baswant market in Nashik, Maharashtra, has surged sixfold in the past week. Similarly, other significant markets like Bengaluru have also observed a rise in incoming tomato supplies.
Certain regions like Narayangaon, Nashik, Bengaluru, and the foothills of the Himalayas serve as crucial lifelines for tomato suppliers to the nation throughout the monsoon season.
During the period from August to December, the Nashik region supplies tomatoes to the country.
On Wednesday, the mean cost of tomatoes at the Pimpalgaon market stood at INR 37/kg, with the peak price reaching INR 45/kg. In contrast, just a week earlier on August 10, the mean price was INR 57/kg, and the highest price recorded was INR 67/kg.
Regarding onions, at the Pimpalgaon Baswant market, the mean price reached INR 23.50/kg on Wednesday, with the peak price hitting INR 28.64/kg. Comparatively, just a week prior, the average price for onions was INR 19.50/kg, and the highest recorded price ranged from INR 26 to INR 56/kg.
“Tomato prices will continue to decline in the coming days as arrivals are rising fast,” said Minaz Shaikh, a wholesale trader of tomatoes and onions in Maharashtra. “The arrival has increased not only in Nashik but also in Bengaluru.”
Traders have reported a decrease in tomato prices sourced from the Pimpalgaon Baswant market in Delhi. Prices have fallen from this year’s peak of INR 4,000 per crate (28-30 kg) to approximately INR 1,500 per crate.
Nonetheless, wholesale market officials and traders have noted a decrease in the arrival of onions, attributing it to farmers retaining their crop in anticipation of price escalation. The concern of delayed transplantation of red onions in Nashik district due to inadequate rainfall is also contributing to the support of onion prices.
Traders anticipate that high-quality onions will be traded within the range of INR 27-28/kg for a brief period, with the potential for prices to reach INR 35/kg by the Ganapati festival.
“We are not expecting a very big increase in prices as there is enough storage of onions with the farmers,” said Shaikh. “If they continue to hold the crop, prices can reach up to INR 35/kg.”
Meanwhile, the current phase of deficit rainfall is not likely to affect the tomato crop standing in the fields. “Unlike onions, tomato farmers use drip irrigation and mulching, which helps retain moisture,” said Sachin Patil, a tomato farmer from Nashik.