In Raisen, Madhya Pradesh, tomato costs have increased to Rs 160 per kg
The state’s largest producer of the kitchen staple, Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district, has seen tomato prices surge to Rs 160 per kg, an official said on Sunday.
In the remainder of the state, the cost of the essential kitchen item has been ranging between Rs 120 and 150 per kilogramme.
District Collector Arvind Dubey explained the increase in tomato prices—which had reached Rs 160—by saying there was a strong demand and a lack of supply.
The price of tomatoes is high nationwide, and Raisen is no exception, according to Dubey. “If the demand for a product is less and the production is high, the price drops,” he said.
According to him, the Bari region produces the most tomatoes in the district, and the fruit from the area is sent to Nepal and southern India.
In the meanwhile, tomato producers have attributed the price increase on intermediaries.
Growers Ganpath Singh Kushwaha, Sitaram Kurmi, and Manoj Patel said that middlemen pay them Rs 20 per kilogramme for their product and then sell it to wholesalers for a premium price.
