PESHAWAR: In the wake of fresh supplies from Iran, Swat, and Sindh, the prices of tomatoes, which had soared to Rs700 per kilogram last week, have been reduced sharply to about Rs180 per kilogram, thus giving some relief to the consumers finally.
Based on market brokers’ observations, the era of Afghan tomatoes has come to an end as the imports from Iran and the supply from various parts of the country have brought about a steady market. Presently, the prices of Iranian tomatoes are ranging from Rs120 to Rs170 per kg, while Swat and Sindh tomatoes are between Rs180 and Rs200.
According to the traders, the tomato shortage during the past month gave some dealers the opportunity to make extraordinary profits. However, prices have started to fall sharply again with the new crop and imports that have been resumed.
According to the insiders, the recent floods in Punjab have destroyed the local tomato crop, as a result, the markets of Peshawar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are relying heavily on Afghani imports. Now the situation has turned around with the local and Iranian sources providing the supply that the consumers have long been waiting for.
It is noteworthy that the prices of tomatoes jumped to record high in Peshawar, which angered the consumers and they blamed the authorities for failing to control the official prices of daily commodities.
According to a report published local news outlet, this price increase coincides with the seasonal shift, which has seen a reduction in supply. The local administration is unable to enforce pricing, as vendors ignore government pricing directives and sell tomatoes for substantially higher sales prices.
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As such, many people have cut back on their use of tomatoes, a staple of Pakistani cuisine. Many residents expressed alarm at the uncharted price increase and reported that they would like the local authorities to enforce market pricing in a more timely manner in order to stabilize tomato prices.
