Hyderabad: The price of tamarind is sky-rocketing. Crops have suffered by 50 per cent in Telangana and neighboring states like Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh due to shortage of rain, early summer and recent hailstorms.
The biggest essential commodities’ market in the city, Mahaboob Mansion at Malakpet, used to import 1,500 quintals of tamarind per day, 300 quintals of which would be supplied from Maharashtra.
The price in the retail markets will be Rs 10 to Rs 20 higher.
The arrivals have now come down by 50 per cent as around 750 quintals are reaching the market. G. Ramesh from Sai Krupa Traders in the market said that only 30 per cent of the stocks arriving was of grade-I quality.
“The rest are being considered as grade-II and grade-III. Most of the grade-I stock is now coming from Maharashtra,” he said. He said that due to the early summer and hailstorms, the tamarind that was coming to the market had black patches.
“Tamarind with patches will be considered grade-III quality, which may not have the capacity of preservation. Grade-I and grade-II can have a shelf life of up to three years. As tamarind ages, its colour changes from reddish to black,” he added.
P. Ramesh Gopi from Panchamukha Traders in the market said that low quality stock was arriving for the last 30 days because of crop loss and hailstorms in Telangana and Maharashtra.
“Last March, grade-I tamarind was around Rs 65 and grade-II was Rs 50. At present, grade-I is stable at Rs 110 and grade-II is at Rs 75 in wholesale markets. The price in the retail markets will be Rs 10 to Rs 20 higher,” he said.
