(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Soaring prices have made the tomatoes a luxury purchase these days as some neighbourhood stores have been selling the vegetable between QR6 and QR8 a kg.
And plum tomatoes, the favourite of curry-makers, is rare to see except the European ones available only in the shelves reserved for elite customers in big shopping complexes.
Some organic tomatoes from Europe that earlier sold for QR11 a box of six, are now priced much higher - in some cases for as much as QR28.
As for the common man's tomatoes available almost everywhere, their retail rate fixed by the government at the Central Market yesterday was QR5.5 per kg.
In wholesale, the Jordanian tomato was available for QR35 per eight-kg box, while those imported from Saudi Arabia normally packaged in five-kg boxes, cost QR22 a box.
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce has attributed the price hike to a shortage of supply in the local market. Some retailers this newspaper spoke to yesterday said tomatoes normally became expensive within the onset of summer since their growing season is winter.
Since it is a perishable vegetable, unlike potatoes, onions and garlic that have long life, tomatoes are not dumped in cold storages by importers in large quantities for sale after the season, especially during the hot summer months, dealers say.
So whatever quantities are imported are put on the market for immediate sale. Already, according to some dealers, imports from Jordan, which is one of the largest exporters of tomatoes, are down due to the onset of the summer season.
"They are a luxury indeed," sarcastically commented an Asian woman as she put some tomatoes in her shopping bag in a big outlet yesterday. The high prices of tomatoes notwithstanding, their quality is too bad. It is rare to sight a blood-red tomato these days and common to see ones that are yellowish or greenish red.
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce said yesterday that the price hike was caused by a shortage in imported as well as locally produced tomatoes. The harvest season in Qatar ended last month.
"According to media reports, tomato prices are unstable in exporting countries and production has dropped due to seasonal factors. Reports from neighbouring countries also suggest that huge quantities of tomato released for sale were eaten by worms and being sold at throwing prices due to poor quality. So the prices of alternative products - imported tomatoes - have also gone up," said a statement issued by the ministry in response to report carried by Al Sharq yesterday.
Tomato prices in Qatar increased by up to 35 percent last month compared to the same period last year.
QR5 over one year. Tomato was being sold in the local market at QR5 since the beginning of this month, said the ministry.
Prices of tomato from European countries reached QR25 per kg. Jordanian tomato that were available in the local market at QR21 per box (QR3 per kg) in May last year was priced QR28 per box (QR4 per kg) last month.
Average price of tomato in May last year was QR27 per box (QR4 per kg) compared to May this year when it reached QR35 per box (QR5 per kg), said the ministry.
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