KARACHI: The retail price of tomato has shot up to Rs120 per kg in the city from Rs80 per kg last week.

Tomato price has been crawling up from the second week of this month when its wholesale price went up to Rs60-70 per kg from Rs30 per kg during August.

Retailers said that they are now lifting tomato from Super Highway Subzi Mandi at Rs100 per kg, excluding transportation charges. Besides, they said that wooden box of 14-15 kg also includes rotten and damaged red fruit.

Haji Shahjehan, President, Falahi Anjuman Wholesale Vegetable Market Super Highway, told Dawn that tomato price had been under pressure as crop from Quetta and other parts of Balochistan has been feeding the entire country.

He said that some quantities of Indian tomato landed in Lahore last week.

“The price of tomato may drop this week as more arrivals from India through Wagah Border are expected to reach markets in the next two to three days,” he said.

Shahjehan said Sindh crop would find way next month which may stabilise prices.

He claimed that so far there were no reports of any damage to Sindh tomato crop because of floods.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd , 2014