After a surge in tomato prices, the central government finds itself grappling with skyrocketing onion prices. Consumer Price Index (CPI) based retail inflation reached a 15-month high, driven by rising food prices. Meanwhile, tomato prices eased to Rs 50-Rs70 a kilogram, the government said on August 21, after an astonishing 700 per cent increase. Due to the rise in onion prices, consumers were worried because, unlike tomatoes, there’s no easy substitute for onions.