Earlier this week, tomato prices shot up to 240-300 rupees per kg in Sindh and Balochistan. Reportedly, the price hike was developed because of excess rain destroying tomato fields in Sindh. But now, the government has allowed importers to import 4,500 tons of tomatoes from Iran for approximately a month.
These Iranian tomatoes will be available in markets from today, which will help decrease prices.
The Fruit and Vegetable Association have also confirmed that the government has issued permits to seven companies for importing tomatoes from Iran.
JUST IN: Pakistan's Govt allows tomato imports from Iran – Owing to high price of tomato in Pakistani market that is being sold up to Rs300/kg, govt has allowed limited-time import of tomato from Iran that would reach Pakistan in next four days.#Karachi #TimesOfKarachi
Posted by The Times of Karachi on Friday, November 15, 2019
According to Samaa News, traders, however, say that because these tomatoes come via the Afghanistan route, they still cost them Rs200 per kilogramme. “As these tomatoes are coming to Pakistan through the Afghanistan route, a 40-tonne truck of tomatoes costs us Rs1 million,” said Saddam Athar Khan, secretary of the Vegetable Import Association. “The government should directly import tomatoes from Iran.”
If tomatoes come directly from the Iran-Pakistan Taftan border, their prices would be reduced to half, the report added.
Comment below to let us know Tomato price in your areas.
