• Amid limited supplies from Swat and Sindh, rates coming down due to imports from Iran
• Supply may dip next year as flood impacts on Punjab’s cultivation manifest

KARACHI: After a sharp rise in tomato prices, reaching Rs600–700 per kilogramme, rates are now declining due to steady imports from Iran — further influenced by limited local supplies from Swat and Sindh.

But if things remain the same, the country is likely to face a shortage of tomatoes in the spring season next year, potentially triggering another cycle of price hikes.

According to traders, floods and heavy rains in Punjab have reportedly washed away the tomato crop. However, they ruled out any serious impact on the Sindh crop, as markets in Karachi have begun seeing arrivals of the new crop from the province, although the majority consists of unripe tomatoes.

Traders are seen offering Iranian tomatoes at Rs200 per kg in Karachi, providing some breathing space to the consumers, who paid up to Rs560 per kg last week in the city.

Local tomato crops in all provinces are produced throughout the year. However, there........

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