Tomato, onion, potato prices rise within a week, yet farmers say their produce fetches very low prices

The prices of essential commodities, particularly of tomatoes, onions and potatoes, have increased across almost all States in the past one week, according to data from the Price Monitoring Division of the Department of Consumer Affairs. The price of tomatoes almost doubled in Delhi in this period, while the prices of potatoes and onions have also risen by about ₹3 to ₹5 per kilo in the same time.

The Union Government has been maintaining that ensuring the right prices for farmers and consumers is a “top priority” for it. Farmers’ organisations, on the other hand, say farmers are forced to sell their produce at very low prices, and the increase in retail prices is a failure of the government.

The retail price for a kilo of tomatoes in Delhi was ₹53 as of Wednesday (June 17, 2026), according to data collected by the Price Monitoring Division, which is available in the public domain. A kilo of tomatoes cost ₹30 on May 17, 2026. On June 10, 2026 tomatoes cost ₹31 per kilo in the national capital’s retail market. Similarly, the price for a kilo of onions was ₹32 in Delhi on Wednesday (June 17, 2026), ₹5 higher than last week.

Although the government has not provided any details on the rise in prices, an official source said it was a seasonal issue, and the Centre is taking steps to curb the price rise and ensure adequate supplies of the three essential items in retail markets.

Except in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Manipur, Nagaland, Chandigarh, Ladakh, and Tamil Nadu, tomato prices have gone up in all States and Union Territories in the past week, with the highest increase in Delhi.

Other than tomatoes, onions and potatoes, the prices of rice, gram dal, tur dal, urad dal, moong dal, masoor dal, mustard oil, and palm oil have also increased in Delhi and some other major centres.

Farmers’ organisations blame the Union government’s policies for the inflation. “This price rise is the biggest paradox. Retail prices are increasing tremendously and farmers are being fleeced. Who is gaining from this increase? The producing class does not gain, but the corporate houses in the retail trade and big traders are gaining. They are getting the support of the ruling party to increase their profits,” Samyukt Kisan Morcha leader and president of the All India Kisan Sabha, Ashok Dhawale, said.

Farmers in several States, including Maharashtra, did not even have the money to transport onions and tomatoes to the market, particularly after the fuel price hike, Mr. Dhawale said. “They are destroying their produce. In potato-growing States such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar too, farmers are in distress as they get as little as ₹2 or ₹3 per kilo for potatoes. But consumers are paying through their nose,” the farmer leader said, urging the Union government to help both farmers and consumers.