Prices of tomatoes shot up by 50% in 1 year: LocalCircles survey

Prices of tomatoes increased by 50 per cent across most states in 1 year, and 25 per cent in the last two months, a recent survey by LocalCircles, a digital community-based platform, found.

The study found that households that bought tomatoes via organised retail and e-commerce channels paid 10-20 per cent higher than those who bought via local markets. The survey aimed to find the average amount most households paid this year to buy tomatoes compared to 2020. The LocalCirlces survey received more than 19,000 responses, of which 41 per cent were from Tier 1 cities, 33 per cent from Tier 2 cities, and 26 per cent from Tier 3, 4 cities and rural districts.   

On average, 44 per cent of the 10,025 respondents said they paid more than Rs 60/Kg for tomatoes. About 31 per cent of households said they are paying Rs 50-59 for tomatoes, 23 per cent said they are paying Rs 60-69 for tomatoes, 21 per cent said they paid Rs 70 or higher, and only 8 per cent said they are paying Rs 30-49 to buy tomatoes. A September 2021 LocalCirlces survey found that the highest percentage of households paid Rs 60/kg of tomato in India, which has increased by 25 per cent to Rs 75 in 2 months.  The price paid by most households in large or Tier 1 cities was Rs 100/kg while it was on average Rs 70/kg in tier 2 and 3 cities, whereas households in smaller towns and rural locations paid between Rs 50-60/kg.   

 On average, 34 per cent of 9,543 respondents buy tomatoes and other vegetables via organised retail and e-commerce channels, while 66 per cent buy them locally.  The report said, citing government data, that the trade of these perishable vegetables in the retail market goes up at different rates across states due to several factors. Disrupted supplies, unchecked trade regulation, and the high prices of diesel that crossed Rs 100 in many states in early November were some of the causes of higher prices.

Further, the survey found that 21 per cent of respondents have someone at home to purchase tomatoes online via an app for home delivery, and 10 per cent said someone at home call the local vendor for home delivery. About 13 per cent of households said that someone at home visits the organised retail store, and 25 per cent said that someone at home visits the market to purchase from the local vendors.