The humble tomatoes are now going at princely rates up north, with the kitchen staple going at Rs 250 per kg in Gangotri Dham and Rs 180 to 200 per kg in Uttarkashi district. A vegetable seller said tomatoes have become dearer in the region all of a sudden.

“Consumers are bearing the brunt of the rising prices of the tomatoes in Uttarakashi. People are not even willing to buy them. In Gangotri, Yamunotri, tomatoes are going at Rs 200 to Rs 250 per kg,” Rakesh, a vegetable seller told ANI. Many attributed the sharp rise in the vegetable prices to the prevailing heatwave in key tomato-growing areas, as well as heavy rains, leading to a disruption in supply chains.

Tomatoes also have a relatively lower shelf life, which is also believed to be having a bearing on their prices. In Chennai, tomatoes are currently selling at Rs 100-130 per kg. Faced with a price pinch, the Tamil Nadu government has started selling tomatoes at a subsidized rate of Rs 60 per kg at ration shops in state capital Chennai in a bid to bring some respite to the consumers amid the price spiral. Like many states, Karnataka has also seen tomato prices go through the roof in recent days.

Tomato prices in Bengaluru range from Rs 101 to 121 per kilogram. The high prices have been attributed to the sudden temperature increase in March and April, resulting in pest attacks on the tomato yield higher market rates.

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