India: Tomato prices diverge across key markets; southern region sees sharp spikes

• Chittoor and Kolar record sharp tomato price gains 
• Nashik sees firm prices, Pune and Indore remain stable

Tomato prices showed a mixed trend across major markets between September 15 and September 29, with sharp gains recorded in southern producing and trading centres. According to BigMint data, Chittoor recorded the highest price at INR 3,195/quintal on 29 September, followed by Kolar at INR 3,185/quintal.

Chittoor and Kolar lead regional price gains

Chittoor tomato prices increased from INR 2,188/quintal on September 15 to INR 3,195/quintal on September 29, a rise of around 46%. The market also recorded the sharpest movement during the latest week, with prices rising from INR 2,225/quintal on September 22 to INR 3,195/quintal on September 29.

Kolar followed a similar trend. Prices remained at INR 2,450/quintal on September 15 and September 22 before rising to INR 3,185/quintal on September 29, representing a 30% increase over the two-week period.

Nashik prices strengthen, central markets remain mixed

Nashik also recorded a significant increase, with tomato prices rising from INR 1,653/quintal to INR 2,317/quintal between September 15 and September 29. The increase of around 40% places Nashik among the markets showing the strongest upward movement during the period.

In contrast, Pune remained largely stable, with prices moving marginally from INR 1,500/quintal to INR 1,527/quintal. Ahilyanagar increased from INR 1,227/quintal to INR 1,417/quintal, despite a small decline during the latest week.

Indore was the only market in the dataset to record a decline over the two-week period. Prices fell from INR 1,738/quintal on September 15 to INR 1,470/quintal on September 29.

The divergence indicates that tomato price movements remain highly regional, with southern markets showing stronger gains while some western and central markets remain relatively subdued.

Outlook

Tomato prices are likely to remain regionally differentiated in the near term. Price direction will depend on fresh arrivals, market-level availability and demand across major consumption centres. Continued strength in Chittoor, Kolar and Nashik could support the broader market, while stable arrivals in Pune and Indore may limit uniform price gains.