Heavy rainfall in North India triggers supply disruption, pushing tomato prices in Delhi up to ₹85/kg by late July.
Govt agency NCCF sells tomatoes at subsidised rates via outlets and mobile vans to ease consumer burden in Delhi.
National average price remains steady at ₹52/kg and food inflation is under control with the cost of a homemade thali down 14% in July.
Govt Blames Heavy Rains for Tomato Price Spike in Delhi as National Average Rates Remain Stable
Heavy rains drive up Delhi tomato prices; govt intervenes to stabilise retail rates
Tomatoes displayed at a local market as prices fluctuate due to weather-related supply issues in Delhi Photo by Engin Akyurt
Summary
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The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said that heavy rainfall in the North and Northwest India has led to a temporary spike in the price of tomatoes in Delhi. The current average retail price of tomatoes in Delhi is ₹73 per kg, while at present, the rest of the country’s average price is ₹52 per kg.
In order to cool down the tomato price, the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation Of India (NCCF) has been procuring tomatoes from Azadpur Mandi since August 4 and selling them to consumers at prices with minimal margins. So far, NCCF has sold over 2.7 tonnes in the open market in Delhi at retail prices ranging from ₹47 to ₹60 per kg, depending on the procurement cost. NCCF has been selling tomatoes through its stationery outlets at Nehru Place, Udyog Bhawan, Patel Chowk, and Rajiv Chowk, as well as 6–7 mobile vans operating at various locations across the city.
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“It is primarily the result of heavy rainfall in the northern and northwestern regions of the country since the last week of July,” said the Department of Consumer Affairs in its release.
This weather-related disruption caused prices to spike to as high as Rs 85 per kg by the end of July. However, with the recovery and stabilisation of daily arrivals at the Azadpur mandi over the past week, both mandi and retail prices have begun to decline.
Unlike previous monsoon seasons, prices of vegetables such as potato, tomato and onion are stable.
Rain Disrupts Tomato Supply
While monsoon-related supply disruptions caused the tomato price spike in Delhi, proactive policy measures are responsible for the overall stability in India, according to ET. Citing the Department of Consumer Affairs data, ET reported that the cost of a homemade thali decreased by 14% year over year in July 2025, indicating that food inflation is still under control.
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The average tomato price in India is ₹52/kg, which is less than last year's ₹54 and much less than ₹136 in 2023. In contrast, tomato prices in Delhi have decreased from ₹85/kg to ₹73/kg.
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