Omkar Dattatray
We have heard of the steeply rising prices of onions some years back when onion tears used to aptly describe the soaring prices of onions .Even onionisation of politics was the description of the role of the political parties in then steeply rising prices of onions .But now a days it is the prices of tomatoes which are rising very steeply and are skyrocketing and it can be said that the tomatoes are afire as the prices of tomatoes rose very high and this rise in the tomatoes is unprecedented. It is beyond human imagination that the prices of tomatoes will continue to increase so high as to make it difficult if not impossible to buy tomatoes .Tomatoes which are called Solanum lycopersicum in botanical and scientific language are afire as their prices are rising on continuous basis putting the consumers to trouble .The tomatoes which used to be sold from rupees 20 to 40 are currently sold at the very exorbitant rates ranging from Rs 80 to Rs 200 and thus it is very difficult to buy the tomatoes for consumption and the people have to go without the Tadka and have to be contented with using onions and ginger for Tadka .To be specific the housewives have to forego the use of tomatoes in the daily vegetables .
The increase in the prices of tomatoes is because the production of tomatoes is not commensurate with the demand and the result is the unprecedented increase in the prices of tomatoes .This red vegetable is an important ingredient of the daily used vegetables and is used in Tadka .But due to increasing of the prices of the tomatoes the housewives forego the tomato Tadka .The only way to control the rising prices of tomatoes is to increase the production and thus the supply of tomatoes and therefore there is urgent and great need to spend money on research and development in order to augment the production of tomatoes and this will definitely lower the prices of tomatoes .Moreover the government of the day should show its presence and take all the necessary steps to control the rising prices of tomatoes so that the average consumer will be in a position to buy tomatoes .Labeled as a vegetable for nutritional purposes ,tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C and the phytochemical lycopene .Tomatoes are commonly eaten raw in salads ,served as a cooked vegetable ,used as an ingredient of various prepared dishes and used in pickles .Additionally ,a large percentage of the world’s tomato crop is used for processing ,products include canned tomatoes ,tomato juice ,Ketchup ,puree ,paste and sun-dried tomatoes or dehydrated pulp .Thus tomatoes are used in making various things and with the increase of its prices so steeply ,consumers feel much difficulty .
The wild species originated in the Andes Mountains of South America ,probably mainly in Peru and Ecaudor and is thought to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian Mexico .Its name is derived from the Nahuatl (Aztec) tomatl .The tomato was introduced to Europe by the Spanish in the early 16th century and the Spanish and Italians seem to have been the first Europeans to adopt it as a food .The Italians called tomato pomodoro (Golden apple).Slowly and steadily it came to Asia including India ,but it took hundreds of years to become a popular vegetable in India and today it is commonly used and consumed as a vegetable ,salad, juice and ketchup .Moreover tomato is used in doing a Tadka .But with the steep rise in the price of tomato it became worrisome and difficult to purchase the tomatoes and the consumers are forced to forgo the use of tomatoes .It is good that amid skyrocketing prices of tomatoes ,centre has intervened to keep it in check .Consumer Affairs Minister Ashwini Choubey revealed that PM Modi has strictly ordered to take measures to curb soaring prices of essentials .
Centre has decided to sell tomatoes at Rs 80-90 per kilogram from July 16.However it follows that these prices of tomatoes fixed by the centre government are still very high and thus the common consumers are bound to purchase tomatoes at the higher prices as there is no other option .Several states across India are witnessing a major surge in the prices of tomato –a kitchen staple in thousands of households.-amid onset of heavy seasonal rains .In some states including the UT of Jammu and Kashmir the prices of tomato has skyrocketed to over 100 per kg ,disturbing household budgets in many states .The consumers are facing the steeply rising prices of tomatoes and they have to bear the brunt of rising prices .The centre ,however has assured that spurt in prices of tomatoes is a temporary seasonal phenomenon and the rates will cool down soon .The rising prices of tomato is a kitchen red alert .Over the last week ,tomato prices saw a whopping 200% rise in Karnataka ,going from Rs 40 a kilo in the third week of May to 125 a kilo .Today the prices of tomato has crossed the mark of 180 and the situation is very grim not only in Karnataka but more or less all over India .Similarly ,in Delhi ,tomato prices at Mother Dairy’s Safal stores have doubled to nearly Rs 80 per kg ,however today the prices of tomato are in between 140-200 .In MP ,the prices have shot up to Rs 110 per kg and today the prices are at Rs 180 per kg and is a matter of concern .
The department of consumer affairs data says the average price of tomato on an all –India basis was Rs 46 per kg on June 27 but it is not the real picture as the tomatoes are selling at Rs 80 to Rs 200 and it is worrisome .Wholesale dealers have attributed the price rise to heavy rainfall in various regions of north India which has resulted in damage to the tomato crops limiting its availability .Moreover the price rise is also due to the disruption in output due to factors such as heat wave ,delayed rainfall and the lack of interest among farmers to grow the crop amid crashing prices in early may .Congresse’s Jairam Ramesh said,’’The prime minister had described Tomato ,onion and potato as TOP priority .But because of his wrong policies –first tomatoes get thrown on the roads and then sold for Rs 100 per Kg .In kashmiri language it is said that Tamatrn chu Nar Lagumut meaning thereby tomatoes are on fire and thus it can be safely said that Ah tomatoes a afire !.
(The author is a columnist, social and KP activist)
