Tomato prices are expected to cool down in the next few days with supplies increasing from producing centres such as hilly regions and expected to normalise in a month.

Referring to issue of seasonality, Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh, in a media briefing, said tomato prices are usually higher during June-July period owing to lean production in major producing areas. He said prices start declining from August when harvest from producing areas start coming into the markets. He further said retail prices of tomato in the national capital will come down on improved supplies from Solan and Sirmaur districts of Himachal Pradesh.

Lean season

Stating that tomato is a highly perishable produce, Singh said it cannot be stored for a long time or be transported for a long distance. “There is an inherent vulnerability in this commodity. June-August and October-November are also lean production seasons and prices in this period normally see a sharp increase,” Singh added.

The all-India average retail price of tomato on June 29 was ₹49 per kg against ₹51.50 per kg in the same period a year ago. He said this indicates the seasonality.

Meanwhile, DoCA launched a Grand Tomato Challenge on Friday. Designed as a hackathon, the Ministry has invited ideas from students to industry stakeholders on areas of on primary processing, storage and valorisation of tomato.

Tur Dal

Responding to a query on tur prices, Singh said India will import 12 lakh tonnes of the pulses in the current fiscal to boost domestic availability and contain price rise. “The all-India average retail price of tur is up by about 25 per cent to ₹128.66 per kg, when compared to last year’s level. But it will start cooling down after import begins,” he added.

“We consume around 44-45 lakh tonnes in India. Every year, we have to import. We will import 12 lakh tonnes in the current fiscal,” he said. So far, the country has imported 6 lakh tonnes of tur. Imports are undertaken from Myanmar and East African countries. The crop in East African countries will start arriving in August, so the domestic prices will cool down, he said. The country imported 8.9 lakh tonnes in last fiscal.

In recent times, the government has taken measures such as imposition of stock limits on traders, millers and importers. Since the imposition of stock limits a downward trend in prices of tur is visible, he added. The government has also decided to offload 50,000 tonnes from the buffer stock in the market and will help in cooling down prices of tur daal, Singh stated.

Besides tur, the secretary said there is about a 7.22 per cent increase in the all-India average retail price of urad at ₹111.77 per kg on June 28 compared with last year. The correction will start happening with supplies improving from Myanmar.

Singh said a bumper production is expected in Madhya Pradesh which will help in easing moong dal prices.

Published on June 30, 2023