No relief from soaring tomato price in Odisha, kitchen essential continues to make pockets bleed

Even as the price of tomatoes has dropped marginally in several parts of the State, the kitchen essential continues to make pockets of consumers bleed as it is priced at over Rs 100 per kilogram.

While buyers have to pay Rs 100 to buy one 1 kg tomato in Bhubaneswar, the vegetable is being sold for Rs 120 to 140 per kg in Berhampur.

The kitchen essential which was priced at Rs 200 to Rs 250 per kg several days ago, now costs Rs 120 per kg in Balasore.

“There is no control of the government on vegetable prices. Though the price of tomatoes has dropped, it still costs Rs 110 to Rs 120 per kg. Be it tomatoes, ginger, brinjal or other items, the prices of vegetables are very high,” said a resident of Balasore.

“We are buying a tray of tomatoes for Rs 2,500 and selling it for Rs 110 to Rs 120 per kg. Fresh production in Maharastra has helped drop in tomato prices,” a vegetable seller in Balasore said.

A Berhampur resident said, “Tomato has vanished from the kitchen when its price breached the Rs 200 mark. Since tomatoes now cost about Rs 100 per kg with a slight drop in the price, we are able to buy them.”