WhatsApp users in the country have started a campaign asking people to boycott onions and tomatoes for a week to 10 days to bring down prices.

Tomato prices have doubled to Rs80/kg after supply in the state went down following a disease in the plants. Even Himachal Pradesh has cut down on supplies, following heavy rains.

Onions are currently retailing at Rs30-40/kg. But it is expected to go up. The campaign is likely to add chillies to its list as prices have soared to Rs90/kg. Word about the no "onion & tomato" week (from July 22-30) has been spreading like wildfire.

"There needs to be an improvement in the transport and technology in the agriculture industry to curb wastage. Also, there is the problem of hoarding... which is why prices go up," Manna Kanuga, one of the protesters, said.

"We should also either completely stop or minimise consuming onions and tomatoes just for a week or 10 days. This will have a demoralising effect on hoarders... Not only that, it will also bring down their prices within a week or 10 days. It's a matter of demand and supply," reads the WhatsApp message that has been doing the rounds.

"The corrupt control the prices of vegetables. We know that farmers are underpaid. But why doesn't the government do something?" asked Mira Khanna, another protester on WhatsApp.Now, what needs to be seen is if WhatsApp users succeed in bringing down prices.