This Cuddalore shop in Tamil Nadu is selling tomatoes for Rs 20/kg despite rising prices

Tomato prices are soaring throughout the nation, reaching as high as Rs 130–155 per kilogram in certain regions of India. All around the nation, eateries and restaurants are removing tomato-based dishes off their menus. Recently, McDonald’s India stated that they will remove tomatoes off their menu in the North and East of Tamil Nadu.

In the midst of rising costs, a vegetable trader in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district is offering tomatoes for only Rs 20/kg, drawing crowds to his store. According to reports, the seller sold about a ton of tomatoes in only two hours.

According to Rajesh, the proprietor of that business, “Vegetables are not being transported to Tamil Nadu due to heavy rains in North India and Karnataka, which has resulted in the continuous increase in prices.”

For instance, the cost of shallots, ginger, tomatoes, and green chilies has tripled. Tomatoes in particular, which were formerly available for Rs 10 till a few months ago, are now going for Rs 155 per kilogram. Instead of purchasing one or two kilograms as they always did, they now purchase 500 or 250 grams. Some individuals have even switched from using tomatoes to tamarind in their cookery, he said.

“I made the decision to aid the underprivileged, so I purchased tomatoes from Kolar in Karnataka. Selling tomatoes at this price results in a loss rather than a profit for me. These tomatoes cost Rs 60 when I purchased them there, and I am now selling them for Rs 20 here. I also had to pay for transportation out of pocket. All of these actions aimed to aid the underprivileged. And I’ll shut the business after the merchandise is gone, he said.

One of the customers, Anbu, who purchased tomatoes from Rajesh, expressed her happiness at the cheap cost of the purchase. He is only selling one pound to one consumer since so many people are swarming the store.

A tomato farmer in Hassan district, Karnataka, was alarmed to discover that the ripe tomatoes he had intended to harvest for sale had gone from the trees. The farmer stated that about 60 sacks of tomatoes worth Rs 1.5 lakh were gone from the area. Additionally, he said, “I have reported the tomato theft and someone must have stolen the tomatoes overnight from the farm.”

The major tomato-producing regions in Tamil Nadu include Dindigul, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Tirupur, and Tirupur. According to the National Horticulture Board, India has 8.31 lakh hectares in tomato cultivation, producing 203 lakh tonnes overall.

Along with Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal, Tamil Nadu is among the major tomato-growing states and produces 7% of all tomatoes produced in India.