The price of tomatoes has surged dramatically at Chennai’s Koyambedu wholesale market due to a severe supply shortage. The cost of a kilogram of tomatoes, which was Rs 35 just a week ago, has nearly doubled, now ranging between Rs 65 and Rs 75 in the wholesale market. Retail prices have followed suit, with tomatoes reaching up to Rs 80 to Rs 90 per kilogram, a sharp increase from the previous week’s Rs 50.
Traders at Koyambedu attribute the price hike to a significant drop in tomato supply, with only 60 to 75 lorries of tomatoes arriving daily instead of the usual 100 to 110. This reduced inflow has led to a steep rise in prices, leaving consumers burdened.
Other vegetables are also seeing price fluctuations:
Onions: Rs 55 per kg
Beans: Rs 110 per kg
Shallots: Rs 70 per kg
Carrots: Rs 40 per kg
Coconuts: Rs 52 per kg
Ginger: Rs 150 per kg
Mango: Rs 100 per kg
Consumers across the city are feeling the pinch, hoping for an improvement in supply to bring down these soaring prices.