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DIMAPUR — The sudden spike in prices of tomatoes is burning a hole in the pockets of consumers in Nagaland, forcing the people to cut consumption, while small street vendors prefer to stop selling it all together.
Tomatoes were sold in the range of INR 90-100 per kg in the retail market in Dimapur when Eastern Mirror checked on Friday, which was an increase of more than INR 50. It was sold around INR 30-50 per kg before the prices skyrocketed with the onset of monsoon.
Sources informed that the prices of tomato in Kohima are also in the range of INR 90-100 per kg, while it around INR 100 to 120 per kg in Pfutsero under Phek district, that too available in a few shops.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]It is observed that some small street vendors have stopped selling tomatoes. They said it is unaffordable due to the price rise.
When asked about the reason for the price hike, vegetable vendors at New Market in Dimapur said it was unavoidable as they bought tomatoes at a wholesale rate of INR 75-85 per kg but rotten ones amount to more than 3-4 kg in a bag containing 25 kg.
The vendors shared that there are 56 vegetable wholesale godowns located at Murgipati in Dimapur, and most of the tomatoes are imported from Bengaluru, Kolkata, Shillong, and Arunachal Pradesh.
However, extreme heat and late arrival of monsoon has caused supply shortage across the country. It is reported tomato prices have increased sharply in several states.