Tomato, onion prices rise in Delhi, Karnataka on high fuel rates, rains in Maharashtra

Prices of vegetables like tomatoes and onions have gone up in the wholesale and retail markets of Delhi and Karnataka owing to crop damages in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana and Karnataka due to heavy rainfall and high fuel rates.

Vegetable traders have warned that the consumables may get dearer in the coming weeks if the same situation prevails.

Ghazipur Wholesale Vegetable and Fruit Market Chairman SP Gupta said the prices of onion and tomato have increased in the national capital as most of the supply comes from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. Due to the surge in vegetable prices, wholesale price of onion is nearly Rs 40 per kg whereas tomato is selling for Rs 900 per 25 kg crate in Ghazipur Mandi.

In Delhi’s Lakshmi Nagar, tomato prices range between Rs 50-55 per kg versus the earlier Rs 40 per kg whereas onion sells at around Rs 50 per kg versus Rs 35-40 per kg.

Good quality tomatoes sell at Rs 55-60 per kg and rates of onion are around Rs 50-55 per kg in Greater Kailash-1 currently.

“Now, tomato prices are ranging between Rs 50 and Rs 55 per kg, while it earlier used to be at around Rs 40 per kg. Similarly, onion prices have also been hiked and now, it is around Rs 50 per kg which used to be sold earlier at around Rs 35-40 per kg,” a vegetable trader in Lakshmi Nagar Ramesh Sahu told news agency PTI.

He added this was due to the increase in wholesale prices. The price rise in the wholesale rates of vegetables was between Rs 10-15 per kg whereas in retail market, it was around Rs 15-20 per kg. Another vegetable trader attributed this price rise to less supply.

Prices of onion and tomatoes have risen by Rs 15-20 per kg in the Okhla Mandi. Wholesale prices of onion have increased from Rs 20 per kg to Rs 40 per kg and tomatoes now sell for Rs 30-40 per kg versus Rs 15-20 per kg at the mandi.

"Due to increasing rates of fuel prices, especially diesel, the cost of transportation of vegetables have gone up. So, coupled with the shortage in supply, the enhanced transportation cost is now showing its impact by making vegetables dearer in wholesale as well as retail markets," wholesale trader at Okhla Mandi Haji Yamin said.

Edited by Mehak Agarwal; with agency inputs

Also read: Fuel rates today: Petrol, diesel prices remain unchanged after seven straight hikes; check latest rates here

Also read: CNG, PNG prices hiked in Delhi NCR, other cities; check new rates here