For the last few weeks, the retail price of tomatoes has risen sharply and touched as high as Rs 250 per kg across major cities.
According to reports, the conman hired the minor boys on the pretext of loading a washing machine and promised to pay them Rs 300
A man who had come to purchase 10 kg of tomatoes at Chhatra Bazaar in Cuttack kept two minor boys as “mortgage” and later decamped with 4 kg of the key kitchen staple on Saturday. The incident occurred amid soaring tomato prices, which have crossed Rs 200 per kg in most markets across the state.
According to reports, the conman hired the minor boys on the pretext of loading a
washing machine
and promised to pay them Rs 300. He then took the boys to the market and asked them to sit near the vegetables.
The miscreant purchased four kg of tomatoes from a vendor and told the vendor that he would buy 10 more kg of the fruit after “handing over the vegetables” to one of his relatives.
When the man didn’t return after hours, the greengrocer became suspicious and enquired about the man, but failed to trace him. When the vendor asked the minor boys about the man’s identification, they said that they did not know him and that they were hired to load a washing machine.
In Nuapada district, the price of tomatoes is increasing, surpassing the prices of all other vegetables. Tomato prices are rising daily, while other vegetables are decreasing slightly in price. A kilogram of tomatoes now costs over Rs 240.
Amid Tomoto Price Surge, Demand for Chicken Shoots Up
The district administration and the regulated market committee have failed to control the soaring tomato prices. People are opting to eat chicken instead, as its price exceeds that of tomatoes.
In the daily market of Khadial town, the price of chicken is Rs 200, while the price of tomatoes has reached Rs 240 rupees per kg. Local resident Ramji Jain said that tomatoes are now scarcely available in the market, and even if they are, people cannot afford them. “Currently, 1 kg of tomatoes costs Rs 240, which is higher than the price of chicken. We are compelled to opt for cheaper chicken as an alternative.”
Tomatoes are not only scarce in Nuapada district but also across entire Odisha. In places where tomatoes are available, their prices have exceeded Rs 200.
