Tomato prices in Karnataka may hit Rs 85/kg if rains persist in North India, warn traders
Kolar: Tomato prices in Karnataka are likely to surge, with retail rates potentially touching Rs 85 per kg if heavy rains continue to batter Maharashtra and other northern states over the coming days, posing a fresh burden on households that rely on the staple ingredient.
On Sunday, a 15-kg crate of tomatoes at the Kolar APMC market, which is the second-biggest market in Asia, was sold for Rs 750, a sharp increase from Rs 250–Rs 350 just three days ago, The New Indian Express reported.
Traders have warned that if weather conditions do not improve by next week, retail prices of tomatoes would touch Rs 85 per kg in Karnataka.
Kiran, secretary of the APMC market, said that continuous rainfall in Maharashtra, a major tomato-producing state, has disrupted supply to states such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Haryana, and Tamil Nadu.
CMR Srinath, a tomato farmer and merchant at the APMC market, also added that heavy rain has affected the tomato crop in large areas of Maharashtra. “If showers continue in the neighbouring state for another week, the prices at the Kolar APMC market would touch Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 per crate,” TNIE quoted him as saying.
This disruption has significantly increased the demand for tomatoes from Karnataka, especially from the Kolar region.
“Over 200 vehicles carrying over 2,500 tonnes of the fruit left from the APMC market on Sunday to different destinations,” TNIE quoted Kiran as saying.
Despite the high demand, local supply remains limited, as many farmers in Kolar had reportedly avoided cultivating tomatoes due to poor prices over the last four months.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Davanagere: Hoax bomb threat email triggers security scare at district court
Davanagere: A bomb threat email received at the District Court in the city’s Devaraj Arasu area on Monday morning triggered panic and a full-scale security check of the court premises.
According to police, the threat message was received on the official email ID of the District Court at around 8.30 am. Following this, the bomb disposal squad and dog squad rushed to the spot and conducted a thorough inspection of the entire court complex.
After detailed checks, officials confirmed that no explosive materials were found and declared the threat to be a hoax.
Police have launched an investigation to trace the origin of the email and identify the sender.
As a preventative measure, security has been tightened at key government offices and important buildings in the city, including the District Court complex.
