Noida: The downpour in several parts of the country has disrupted the supply chain leading to significant spike in tomato prices in Noida in the past week. One of the most used vegetables, tomatoes were available at around Rs 30–40 per kg about a week ago and now the kitchen staple is being sold at around Rs 80-90 across Noida.
The sudden surge in tomato prices has added an additional burden on household budgets of Noida residents. At a vegetable market in Noida Sector 27, a vendor told TOI that he sources his vegetables from Ghazipur mandi where the prices have surged due to supply issues. He added that when the vendors add the transport costs, the retail prices go up.
The surge in tomato prices is not restricted to a few markets but across Noida. In Sector 12/22 market on Monday, the tomatoes were sold between Rs 70 and Rs 90/kg. Consumers in the city also expressed their anguish over the price hike. A homemaker lamented that the surge in vegetable prices has now become a seasonal struggle. She added that every monsoon, vegetable prices shoot up and tomatoes become a luxury.
Meanwhile, secretary of Noida Phool and Sabzi Mandi, Pankaj Sharma said that Noida gets nearly 1,000 kg of tomatoes everyday, most of which comes from Madhya Pradesh and Nashik in Maharashtra. He further said that seasonal spike in vegetable prices, especially during monsoons, is common and not alarming. He said the current situation must not be labelled a crisis as Noida is managing to get supplies from other states.
To reduce the impact of surge in tomato prices on consumers, the National Cooperative Consumers Federation of India (NCCF) has started selling the kitchen staple at subsidised rates. The NCCF is selling the tomatoes at Rs 48 per kg via mobile vans in several sectors of Noida including Sectors 4, 75, 19, 63, Atta Market and Golf Course Road.