Heavy rains have disrupted supply chains in parts of the country, resulting in higher tomato prices in Delhi and other metro cities.

Tomato prices Supply in Delhi and other cities is likely to taper off in the coming weeks as supply from southern states improves, if heavy rains do not disrupt the supply chain, officials said on Saturday. Speaking to news agency PTI on condition of anonymity, a consumer affairs ministry official said prices of potato and onion have also gone up due to supply disruption, which is expected to stabilize in the coming days.

“The prices of tomato, potato and onion are high in Delhi and some other cities. Heavy rains followed by extreme heat led to supply disruptions, which pushed up prices in consumer areas,” the official said.

Prices are likely to normalize in 1-2 weeks

Retail prices of tomato, onion and potato have gone up in Delhi and other metro cities as supply chains have been disrupted due to heavy rains, resulting in price hikes.

“Prices are expected to normalize in 1-2 weeks with improved supply from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka,” he said.

Asked about the possible shortage of potatoes, the official noted that India has stored 283 lakh tonnes of potatoes, which is enough to meet domestic demand despite lower production compared to last year. He further said that onion prices have come down in the wholesale market of Maharashtra and it is expected to fall further with the arrival of the new crop in September.

Heavy rains have disrupted the supply chain

Heavy rains have disrupted the supply chain in some parts of the country, resulting in a rise in prices of tomatoes, potatoes, onions and green vegetables in metro cities.

According to ministry data, the retail price of tomato in Delhi on July 12 was Rs 75/kg, as against Rs 150/kg in the year-ago period. Its price in Mumbai was Rs 83/kg, while in Kolkata it was Rs 80/kg.

The all-India average retail price of tomato on July 12 was Rs 65.21/kg, as against Rs 53.36/kg last year.

To meet the demand, Delhi is currently getting its tomato supply from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. However, the official said the prices will soon stabilize as tomatoes from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka reach the national capital in the coming weeks.

Officials have clarified that the government has no plans to resume the sale of subsidized tomatoes, a measure that was implemented last year when the price was above Rs 110 per kg.

(with PTI input)