Lower arrivals in the market pushed up tomato prices on Sunday by Rs 100-300 a quintal for the different varieties.
Around 600 crates (a crate is 25 kg) of different varieties of tomatoes arrived at the Karnal vegetable market and were quoted at Rs 600-2,200.
Around 2,500 crates of varieties such as Anoop, Himsona, Trishul, Himshikhar and Ahmedabad arrived at Karnal markets.
Vikas Sachdeva, a trade expert, told Business Line , that low availability of stocks coupled with frantic buying by the traders mainly pushed tomato prices upwards. There was no particular reason behind the fall in arrivals and it may improve in the coming days, he added.
Out of total arrivals, about 35 per cent stocks were of low quality, 30 per cent medium while about 35 per cent superior quality.
Prices of superior quality increased by Rs 200 at Rs 1,800-2,200; medium quality produce was up by Rs 300 at Rs 1,100-1,700 while low quality was up Rs 100 at Rs 600-1,000.
After trading in a tight range throughout the week, tomato price improved on low stocks, said Vikas Sachdeva. Traders expect that market may continue to rule around current levels for the next few days.
On Sunday, not a single crate remained unsold because of low stocks.
As expected, unwanted rainfall in February has affected the yield and quality of the new crop. Yield from the new crop is lower and the tomato size is smaller. Quality of the stocks is likely to remain lower in the coming days.
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