Heavy rains in Maharashtra is affecting supplies: loss of crop and transport problems
Mumbai: In normal times lack of rain is responsible for price hike of agriculture produce but the present heavy rains is responsible for the hike in tomato prices. Some traders apprehend the price rise will breach the Rs. 100 per kg mark in coming few days. At present tomatoes are selling at the rate of Rs 60 per kg in wholesale markets and Rs 80 per kg in retail markets, but looking at the present situation in few days tomatoes will cross Rs. 100 per kg mark.
Navi Mumbai APMC (Agriculture produce market committee) market secretary Anil Chavan while talking to thenews21 told that, there is heavy rainfall in the interior Maharashtra since more than a week, due to which supply of vegetables has reduced to a mere 50 %. At the same time unlock in many state’s has increased the demand which is why tomatoes which were sold at 4-5 Rupees are being sold at 63 per Kg. in wholesale market.
There is flood like situation in many places such situation is not good for crop explained a trader in APMC Bala Badade, adding “Tomato and Capsicum crops in Maharashtra has dwindled due to unsuitable weather. Mumbai is now fully dependent on supplies from Bangalore. Export to Pakistan where tomato sells for Rs 300 a kilo, is another factor which has affected the price.”
“In Maharashtra due to the Corona pandemic, lock down was imposed and in that situation transport of goods suffered. Just one and half month ago tomatoes were getting 4-5 rupees kilo or less. At that time many farmers destroyed their crop. Situation was very grim then and then due to lockdown no sowing was done that is the reason why tomatoes are in short supply”, added Badade while speaking to thenews21.
A trader Arun Gupta told thenews21 that tomatoes are selling at the rate of Rs 65 per kg today but very soon it will cross Rs 100 per kg as situation is very grim. The situation will improve only when the new crop arrives, and that will take at least a month, he added.
