Big rise unlikely

With the peak harvest season coming to an end, tomato prices have nearly doubled in the last one month to ₹20/kg. This year, it is feared, the harvest in Punjab and Haryana is will be lower due to chilly weather conditions that prevailed in the region in December and January. However, with prices still below the November high of ₹50/kg, people are buying more of the vegetable. Tomato prices in April last year was ₹32/kg, and as the prices were skyrocketing, the farmers had sowed more of the crop. This year, therefore, the prices may not go up very significantly, say market observers.