Vegetable Prices Skyrocket During Festive Season in Shimla

Shimla: As the festive season approaches, vegetable prices in Himachal Pradesh’s capital, Shimla, continue to rise sharply. On Tuesday, the retail price of tomatoes surged to ₹100 per kilogram, with prices increasing by ₹40 per kilogram over the past week. In Shimla’s Lower Bazaar, tomatoes were sold at a wholesale rate of ₹70-75 per kilogram, while retail prices ranged between ₹80 and ₹100 per kilogram. The rising prices are attributed to a shortage in tomato supply, which has caused prices to soar daily.

This price hike has severely impacted household budgets, already strained by inflation. Other vegetables like peas are now selling at ₹160 per kilogram, onions at ₹60, and capsicum at ₹80-100 per kilogram. Sher Singh, a vegetable vendor, mentioned that demand for tomatoes has significantly increased, but supply remains insufficient, leading to higher prices.

Vishweshwar Nath, president of the Vegetable Market Traders Association, explained that prices are expected to stabilize after Diwali, when a fresh supply of tomatoes from Nashik is anticipated. Currently, Himachal is the only region with a tomato crop, leading to limited supply and rising prices.