Hyderabad: Prices of tomatoes now being sold for Rs. 120 a kilogram are likely to come down by the end of July.
Officials of the Horticulture Department in Telangana maintain the prices have soared due to unseasonal rains and heavy damage to crops in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra from where the tomatoes are sourced during May and June months.
“During this period of the year, the local farmers in Telangana sow the tomato crop. It takes between 60 days to more than 100 days to harvest the crop,” said a senior official of Telangana State Horticulture Department.
The price increase is a countrywide phenomenon with several metro cities witnessing a steep increase in its prices. “Prices are expected to cool down in the next 15 to 20 days when local produce starts arriving at the market,” said another official.
The arrivals at the city markets are from Ranga Reddy, Vikarabad, Medchal Malkajgiri, Mahabubnagar, and other districts of Telangana. Other varieties from A.P., Karnataka, and Maharashtra also arrive around the year.
Another reason for the delayed arrival of local variety tomatoes at markets is the delay in monsoon. Farmers had started the sowing activity in June end as against early June.
The government-managed Rythu Bazaar is of little help to the harried citizens. “Arrivals at Rythu Bazaar are from local farms. There is no produce here and instead middlemen are sourcing it from Bowenpally and Gudimalkapur market,” said a vendor at Mehdipatnam Rythu Bazaar.
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