Food Retail Prices, CPI Changes in Iran Provinces (November 2018)

The retail prices for tomato paste in the Iranian month Aban (ending Nov. 21) increased by 244.4% compared with the same period of last year. 
A kilogram of tomato paste went for an average of 183,843 rials ($1.55) in the month, to register the highest year-on-year price rise for a food item, the Statistical Center of reported. 
Iran has tomato production, which allows processing industries to sufficiently meet the domestic demand for the food item, which is used in many Persian dishes. However, excessive exports of tomatoes and tomato paste in recent months, especially to Iraq, for increased profits amid the depreciation of Iran's local currency, led to their shortage in local markets.