The state of Telangana is facing a tomato crisis with the prices skyrocketing to Rs. 130 to Rs. 140 per kilo.
The rate has increased 300% compared to last year when tomatoes cost only Rs. 40 per kilo.
Telangana is a population of more than 4 crores people and is highly dependent on Andhra Pradesh to import tomatoes to its markets.
A local vegetable vendor at Kamareddy said, “I have bought a 20 kg basket at Rs. 2,100, compared to the usual rates ranging from Rs. 300 to Rs. 450.”
It has been reported that only 3% of the tomatoes in Telangana are grown in the state and nearly 85% of them are imported from Madanapalle in Andhra Pradesh.
Another local vendor, Rajender Rao said, “Usually we used to import from neighboring states as the domestically yielded tomatoes are not enough. However, the (uneven) rainfall in those states has affected the markets.”
The hike in tomato prices is not just affecting households but also the hotel industry.
M. Nagurao who runs a hotel said, “We use tomatoes in making a variety of dishes. If this continues, we might remove certain dishes from our menu, as we cannot afford the prices.”
