Srinagar, Jul 21 (KNO): Kashmir no longer has a lack of tomatoes, and the prices have also gone down.
Chairman of the Kashmir Fruit Association Bashir Ahmad Basheer told the Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that local tomatoes in mandis cost between Rs 60 and Rs 70 per kg.
He said that as the local tomatoes ripen, the prices will go down even more. He also said that the local crop was very small because of the constant rain, which did “considerable” damage to it.
Bashir said, “We might get supplies from outside, but the rain should stop and the weather should stay nice.”
Bashir said this about the recent price increase: “The only reason the prices were so high was because of the floods in Himachal. There was a lot of demand, but very little supply.” He said that the price will go down even more in the next ten to fifteen days. He also said that the rains came too early and hurt a lot of crops.
“We sell it here in Srinagar mandi for 60 to 70 rupees per kilogramme. In markets, it costs between 100 and 110 rupees.” We put out a price list in the newspapers, and if people find someone selling at a higher price, they should call the right department, he said.
Many Srinagar City sellers said that there are now plenty of tomatoes on the market and that the shortage has “almost ended.”
They said that the high prices of tomatoes were caused by two main things: the rainy season starting later than usual and rain and flooding in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka during the harvest season.
In a press release from the Press Information Bureau (PIB), which KNO has a copy of, it says, “The Department of Consumer Affairs has told NCCF and NAFED to sell tomatoes for Rs 70 per kg from July 20, 2023, because tomato prices have been going down.”
The tomatoes that NCCF and NAFED bought were first sold for Rs 90 per kg, but that price was lowered to Rs 80 per kg on July 16, 2023. It says that lowering the price to Rs 70 kg will help buyers even more—(KNO)
