Financial Tribune - Eight out of 24 food prices SCI reports every month saw declines in the eighth Iranian month (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) compared with the month before�

The biggest month-on-month price rise for a food item during the month ending Nov. 21 was recorded for tomatoes with 55.5%.

A kilogram of tomatoes was sold at 39,699 rials (32 cents) during the period under review.

The wild rise in the price of tomatoes reportedly stems from the vegetable�s shortage in the domestic market.

Prices reached as high as 150,000-200,000 rials ($1.19-1.59) per kilogram over the past few days.

With the aim of regulating the domestic market, the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade has imposed duties on the export of tomatoes as of Dec. 21, director general of the ministry's Economic Affairs and Commercial Policies Office, Mohammad Reza Kalami Bajestan, said recently.