An extreme heatwave and heavy rains have caused the cost of tomatoes across India to skyrocket.
Tomatoes, a staple in Indian kitchens, were being sold for up to 120 rupees ($1.50) per kilogramme on Wednesday — six times more than two weeks previously.
In Delhi, tomatoes were being sold for 90 to 100 rupees per kilogramme ($1.10 to $1.20) on Wednesday.
Experts say the reason for the sudden price rise is a disruption in supply as harvests were damaged by heatwaves and pest attacks in May.
The crop was also affected by heavy rains caused by Cyclone Biparjoy in June.
Tomatoes are grown in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
“A lack of monsoon rains has caused the crops to dry out and wilt,” said Ajay Kedia, a Mumbai commodity market expert and head of research firm Kedia Advisory.
"The limited supply of produce, particularly tomatoes are due to crop damage caused by heavy rainfall and extreme heat."
In Lucknow in northern Uttar Pradesh state, produce vendor Ram Khilawan, said he was suffering losses because of thin sales.
“The tomato harvest was damaged because of heat and then rain," he said. "We are getting it transported from other parts of the country. This has increased the price. People ask more about the prices than buying.”
The skyrocketing prices of fruit and vegetables are forcing people to cut down on their daily intake of tomatoes.
“The prices have suddenly shot up [by] nearly four times," Teesha Goyal, a resident of Greater Noida, a satellite city outside Delhi, told The National.
"I bought them for 25 rupees (30 cents) a kilogramme a week or so ago. If we buy tomatoes, we cannot afford other vegetables. And meals without tomatoes are tasteless.”
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
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