Tomato Prices have been reduced from Rs 200 to Rs 10. The Horticultural Department and the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) are attributing the sharp drop in tomato prices to two main factors: a significant influx of tomatoes into the market and reduced demand from other states. This situation has had a dramatic impact on tomato farmers, with extreme fluctuations in prices occurring within just two months.
In July, the price of tomatoes soared to Rs 200/kg in the retail market, leading many farmers to switch to tomato cultivation. However, hotels and households began to avoid buying tomatoes at such high prices. Now, tomatoes are being sold for a mere Rs 10/kg and this has left farmers in tears and disheartened.
This price crash is primarily attributed to the substantial quantity of tomatoes flooding the market and a decrease in demand from other states. For instance, the Kolar APMC, the second-largest tomato market in Asia, received 4.21 lakh quintals of tomatoes this month alone. In the same period last year, they received 2.31 lakh quintals, and in September 2021, they received 3.82 lakh quintals. These increased supplies have led to a significant reduction in tomato prices, with a 15 kg box that was selling for Rs 2,300 in July and August now fetching only Rs 45 to Rs 120.
Tomato farmers in areas like Koppal, Chikkaballapur, Mandya, Tumakuru, Chitradurga, and Haveri scaled up their tomato cultivation in response to the soaring prices. However, many farmers in Kolar and its surrounding regions have opted not to harvest their tomato yield, as the cost of labour for harvesting exceeds the potential returns in the market, making it an unprofitable endeavour.
