I wanted to punch him in the face: Rising tomato prices distress Mumbaikars

The rising vegetable prices particularly tomatoes in India are affecting both customers and vendors leading to changes in consumption patterns and financial strain on households The governments measures to reduce prices in some areas provide partial relief but the overall issue persistsAs a result of the skyrocketing prices staple vegetables like tomatoes have become unaffordable for many lowincome households in Mumbai The sharp rise from 40 rupees to 160 rupees per kilo has put a significant strain on household budgets leaving Mumbaikars grappling with the challenge of accessing essential ingredients for Indian cookingThe impact of the tomato shortage goes beyond just the vegetable itself Tomatoes are a fundamental ingredient in various Indian dishes and their scarcity and high prices has led to changes in consumption patterns and forced people to seek alternative ingredients for cookingStrolls through vegetable markets in Dadar and Santacruz point out that the dramatic price rise has caused angst among the buyers as well as sellers Midday Online spoke to wholesalers residential vegetable vendors and customers to understand how they are dealing with the rising vegetable prices and what they expect from the governmentRenuka a Mulund resident usually travels to Dadar wholesale market to buy vegetables and fruits as groceries are sold at cheaper rates here than in many residential markets But she was upset with the retailer from whom she usually buys vegetables ldquoI wished to punch him the retailer in the face as the prices he offered were high and the stock was not goodrdquo Renuka said ldquoTomatoes are more expensive than petrol how can I afford themrdquoVendors are equally facing difficulties due to the unpredictable price hikes They are experiencing reduced sales as customers cut down on quantities and seek alternatives Factors like extreme weather conditions and damaged stocks are exacerbating the situation for vendorsldquoTomato prices hike every year but this year the rise is dramaticrdquo a vendor in Dadar wholesale vegetable market told Midday OnlineAlso readUrinating defecating and With passengers creating nuisance midair airline former crew members weigh in on challengesHe said the prices keep rising every day Yesterday he said ldquoone cart of tomatoes was priced at Rs 2800 and today it is 3500rdquo ldquoThere is uncertainty over the price hike we do not know till when this will continuerdquo the anguished vendor saidAt some places in Mumbai the prices of tomatoes range from Rs 130 to Rs 140 per kilogramApoorva a nonMumbaikar who lives in a rented accommodation in Santacruz said that for bachelors like her staying away from family and surviving in an lsquoexpensiversquo city like Mumbai is difficult ldquoTo add to that the hike in vegetable prices have laden us with additional burdenrdquoThe governments intervention to sell tomatoes at a discounted rate in some cities is a step towards providing relief to the public but there is no such announcement in Maharashtra Customers and vendors alike are hoping for more pocketfriendly solutions from the government to address the soaring vegetable pricesAccording to the officials the hike in the price of vegetables is temporary and they will be back to normal soon However in a country like India tomatoes are a staple and like onions they go with every other curry that gets cooked in an Indian kitchen The problem is not only limited to tomatoes though as prices of all vegetables have increasedldquoI honestly do not know what the alternatives to tomatoes are No curry gets cooked without tomatoes in it Although we have reduced the consumption of tomatoes it is a necessityrdquo another resident at Dadar market saidAlso read Six killed three injured in accident at PadghaKhadavali intersectionRekha said that she does not buy tomatoes unless necessary and has instead shifted to making dal fried potato sabzi and parathas ldquoEach vegetable costs 25 to 30 rupees250 grams so which ones should we buy If I buy tomatoes I will buy 250 grams and use them for a week by utilizing one tomato for two mealsrdquo she addedRenuka says she has stopped eating tomatoes and vegetables and has shifted to eating cereals owing to the high prices While Apoorva often resorts to eating something outside and if she cooks at home she ensures to recook the same curry for two mealsldquoIt is not that the government does not know about this maybe they want to unsee it But these soaring prices have disrupted the kitchen budget of almost every householdrdquo says another customerOn July 16 the government of India started to sell tomatoes at a discounted rate of Rs 80kg in Delhi NCR and several other cities including Lucknow Varanasi Kanpur and Patna through cooperatives NAFED and NCCF according to an official statementYet there is no announcement from the Maharashtra government on the rising vegetable pricesldquoWe are at a loss due to this hike We buy at high prices customers have reduced the quantity of consumption and because of rains a lot of the stock gets damaged Earlier customers used to buy a kilo but now hardly anyone buys half a kg We are incurring a loss of 30 to 40 percentrdquo a vegetable vendor at Santacruz residential vegetable market saidThe current uncertainty and lack of a longterm solution leave both customers and vendors in a state of distress The question remains whether the government will take more comprehensive measures to alleviate the issue of rising vegetable prices and provide relief to citizensThe prolonged duration for supplies and prices to normalize estimated to be up to three months can escalate consumer discontent and frustration with the governments handling of the situation As the prices of essential vegetables continue to surge the financial burden on lowincome households and vulnerable communities is likely to increase potentially leading to public dissatisfaction with the overall economic situation