Repercussions of unseasonal rain felt in home and hotel kitchens in city after price of tomatoes soars from Rs 25 to Rs 60 recently; other staple vegetables have also seen steep hikes, straining household budgets and forcing eateries across the region to cut back on ingredients
Residents across the city say they are feeling the pinch every day. Pic/Amarjeet Singh
The price of kitchen essentials, particularly tomatoes, has skyrocketed across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane, triggering alarm among households and the hotel industry. Heavy unseasonal rain in key growing belts of Karnataka and interior Maharashtra has disrupted supplies to the Vashi APMC, pushing prices up at every level — from wholesale markets to local retail and app-based delivery platforms.
The wholesale benchmark price for local tomatoes has surged to Rs 40 per kg at APMC, climbing to Rs 55 to Rs 60 per kg at retail outlets. Other staple vegetables have also seen steep hikes, straining household budgets and forcing eateries across the region to cut back on ingredients.
Market voices
Sanjay Karande, a wholesale trader at APMC, said, “Truck arrivals are unpredictable. Prices are high, and we cannot stock much due to the risk of spoilage. Customers are buying less.” Ulwe retailer and eatery owner Chandradev Gupta said, “Demand is high but supply is low.”
Residents across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai say they are feeling the pinch every day. Pic/Amarjeet Singh
He added that his eatery has been forced to cut back: “We are using one tomato instead of two and half a bunch of coriander instead of a full one to control costs.” Umesh Ghorpade of APMC said unseasonal weather has hit both supply and quality. “The tomato crop in Nashik is damaged, so supplies are coming from Karnataka, increasing transportation costs.”
Household struggles
Residents across Navi Mumbai say they are feeling the pinch every day.
Panvel resident Neha Mehta said, “I now buy only 500 grams of tomatoes and use tamarind paste for tanginess. My monthly bill has gone up 40 per cent.”
Kharghar resident Priyanka Pandey said, “We have stopped buying expensive vegetables like green peas. We stick to leafy greens.”
Ulwe resident Rajesh Verma said, “Prices are changing almost daily. We have cut down on eating out to balance our budget.”
Koparkhairane resident Aparna Deshmukh said, “App prices are high, but sometimes home delivery is worth it when you cannot carry heavy bags.”
Retailers warn that if weather conditions remain unstable, tomato prices may cross Rs 60 per kg in the coming week.
Rs 55 to Rs 60
Tomato prices per kg at retail outlets on Thursday
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