The price of tomatoes sky-rocketed to 350 rupees (£1.75) per kilogram, more than five times the previous price, after Pakistan banned tomato imports from Iran, India and Afghanistan, The Times reports.

A farmer who hired two guards to watch his 16-acre field said: “It is the first time in 30 years that I’ve been concerned about people stealing my crop.”

Other farmers have already reported losing some of their crop to thieves on motorbikes.