Although it is the season, we cannot observe the expected decrease in the price of tomatoes and cucumbers in the markets. At present, it is impossible to find tomatoes cheaper than three manats and cucumbers cheaper than two manats in the markets. But why are the prices of tomatoes and cucumbers still burning?
The price is determined by supply and demand
According to Vugar Huseynov, head of the Department of Public Relations and Information Assurance of the Ministry of Agriculture, the prices are determined by supply and demand in the market. The mass production of vegetables and the introduction of natural products to the market begins in May. After that, we can see stabilization in prices.
Local tomatoes will be released to the market in June
Elmar Allahverdiyev, Chairman of the Management Board of the Public Legal Entity Scientific-Research Institute of Vegetables, also stated that the season is starting. However, the changeable weather has its effect on the market access of the product: “This period is always the end of the winter season and the beginning of the summer season. Many vegetables will be ripe already in May. Tomatoes grown in open fields will also be marketed in June. Therefore, we can say that the season is starting. Many vegetables have been planted since the beginning of February. It is the average duration of their vegetation. It is also affected by global climate changes. The weather was hot in February. These climatic conditions also have a negative effect on plants.”
According to E.Allahverdiyev, it is more correct to wait for the period when these vegetables are mass-grown to see the price reduction: “Since May, many vegetables enter the market more often, and the prices become cheaper.”
Water scarcity also affects the price
Economist Rauf Garayev noted that the factors influencing the price of vegetables are the low water level and improper irrigation: “Looking at the weather, we see that it is not stable. The weather has warmed up only in the last week, that is, it is at the limit of 30 degrees. In addition, there are also difficulties in the irrigation system. Due to heavy rainfall in neighboring countries, rivers overflowed their source, but we do not observe such cases. Therefore, there was not enough precipitation, so the rivers are not full of water. Precipitation above or below normal, both of which are not considered acceptable for agriculture. Too much water leads to floods and destruction of crops, while too little leads to drought and low yields. The fact that water basins are few and that water is not used sparingly, and that the same amount of water is not given to agricultural fields, does not allow products to become cheaper. I believe that the price of these products will stabilize in the market from the middle of May.”
New products do not meet our needs
Farmer Anar Abbasov attributed the price increase observed this year to some factors: “Cucumbers were planted in abundance last year. Farmers suffered losses. Last year, they also planted less this year because tomatoes were expensive. In greenhouse cultivation, there are first and second rotation crops. At present, the first crop cycle is over, and the crops of the second cycle are just starting to emerge. They are still very few. Newly released products are not able to meet the demand of our country. Tomatoes are also sent to Russia. Because only Iran cannot supply Russia with tomatoes.”
Although cucumbers will become cheaper, tomatoes will become more expensive
According to the farmer, the increase in price will continue for several days, but we will be able to observe price reductions already in May: “The price of cucumbers will decrease in early May. The price of tomatoes may rise in the first decade of the month. But after that, the price of tomatoes will decrease. In the coming days, the average price of cucumber will be 1.2 manats. On the contrary, the price of tomatoes will increase. In the coming days, the price of Salyan tomatoes will rise to four manats, and Baku tomatoes will be sold even more expensive.” (“Kaspi” newspaper)
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