Karimnagar: Tomato prices shoot up to Rs 100 a kg

On the other hand, green chillies have also become costlier. Green chillies, usually available for Rs.40 to Rs.60 a kg, are now being sold at Rs.120 per kg

Karimnagar: Tomato prices are skyrocketing in the erstwhile Karimnagar district. A kilogram of tomato is now being sold at Rs.100 in the market.

This is after the price shot up by Rs.20 in just one day from the Rs.80 a kg at which tomatoes were being sold on Sunday. Usually, tomatoes are sold at Rs.20 to Rs.40 a kg. With the price increasing gradually over the last few weeks, the price went up to Rs.50 last week, and now has touched Rs.100.

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Lack of local crop is the main reason for the spurt in the price of tomato. Vegetable orchards were damaged due to hailstorms and unseasonal rains witnessed in the district during the months of March and April. Later, high temperatures were recorded. As a result, the yield of vegetables declined.

Due to lack of crop in the State, traders are bringing the same from Chittoor and Madanapalle of Andhra Pradesh and Aurangabad of Maharashtra, leading to a hike in prices.

On the other hand, green chillies have also become costlier. Green chillies, usually available for Rs.40 to Rs.60 a kg, are now being sold at Rs.120 per kg.

M Mahesh, a private employee, said the price hike had forced many to reduce the quantity of chillies and tomatoes usually used to make curries. Besides other vegetables, he usually purchases a kilogram of tomato and half a kg of green chillies. After the prices shot up, the purchase had become of half a kg of tomato and 250 grams of chillies, he said.

A retail vegetable vendor, Sridhar, said customers were disappointed with the price hike and were complaining. While some of them were avoiding tomatoes, many were using chilli powder instead of green chilli in preparation of dishes, he said.