A crate contains 20kg of the produce, and the price of each fell from Wednesday’s Rs 1,750 to Rs 1,100 on Thursday. Tomato rates in Mumbai’s retail markets remain astronomical at Rs 160-200 per kilo.
The total daily arrival of tomatoes at the three APMCs – Pimpalgaon, Nashik and Lasalgaon – increased from 6,800 crates around a week ago to 25,000 crates on Thursday. At Pimpalgaon, the largest tomato mandi in the state, the daily arrivals have increased from 1,500 crates to 15,000 crates, while at Nashik, it has increased from 5,000 crates to 10,000 crates. At Lasalgaon, arrivals have gone up from 350 crates a day around a week ago to 1,500 crates now.
Mumbaikars are eagerly awaiting restoration of normality. Tomato sold for the regular rate of Rs 30 per kg until mid-May. Prices doubled to Rs 50-60 June 13, and escalated further to Rs 160 on July 3. The record barrier of Rs 200 was broken July 24.
On Thursday, APMC Vashi director Shankar Pingale said, “Wholesale rates of tomato have marginally fallen by Rs 15-20 in Vashi since the past two days to Rs 70-80 today. But that is because arrivals had increased as tomato was not being diverted to north India due to rain. Supply rose slightly while demand remained constant. But I feel rates will not reduce substantially until end-August.”
A vegetable trader with businesses in Byculla and Ghatkopar said good quality small size fruit was selling for Rs 120 and big tomatoes were available for Rs 160. Elsewhere in Andheri, Khar, Bandra, Borivli and Colaba, rates remained Rs 160-200.
Pimpalgaon APMC officials confirmed supplies have shot up in the past few days. They said the average wholesale tomato price at their mandi has dropped from Rs 1,750 per crate on Wednesday to Rs 1,200 per crate on Thursday.
