Visakhapatnam: Tomato rate touches Rs 200 a kg in open market

Tomato, which, of late, has turned so precious, continues to top the price list of vegetables. The rate of tomato, which was ranging between Rs 10 and Rs 20 a kg in May, crossed Rs 100 per kg within a short span of three weeks and now it shot up to Rs 200 a kg in the open market in Visakhapatnam as well as other parts of the state.

The tomato crop, hit by severe heatwave and heavy rainfall in the areas where it is grown, witnessed a drastic fall. Though the Andhra Pradesh State Government launched the sale of tomatoes on subsidy at the rate of Rs 50 a kg at Rythu Bazaars to ease the burden of the people, it has been limited to a few Rythu Bazaars. For the last couple of days, even the sale of subsidised tomatoes was halted at some of the counters as the existing stock is exhausted.

With the rate of tomato showing no sign of coming down, people, who are not ready to shell down the high amount of the juicy red fruit, look to alternatives to it like aamchur and tamarind powder. Some are also switching to packaged tomato puree. Meanwhile, other vegetables, alongside tomato, like beans, capsicum and spiny gourd too touched the rate of Rs 100 a kg in areas like Visakhapatnam.

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