Pune tomato farmer becomes millionaire

Pune: Even as the soaring prices of tomatoes are burning a hole in the common man’s pocket, a farmer from Pune in Maharashtra has become a millionaire by selling his bountiful yield of the key kitchen staple for Rs three crore in just over a month while overcoming various challenges.

Farmer Ishwar Gaykar (36), from Pachghar village in Junnar tehsil of Pune district, had faced a difficult decision of dumping a large quantity of harvested tomatoes in May this year due to low prices.

Undeterred by the setback, he continued to exhibit unwavering determination and work tirelessly on his 12-acre farm to cultivate tomatoes. Now, amid the skyrocketing prices of tomatoes, Gaykar’s hard work has paid off handsomely, transforming him into a millionaire as he claimed to have earned Rs three crore through the sale of his crop

yield between June 11 and July 18. Talking to PTI, Gaykar said during the period, he sold 18,000 crates of tomatoes (each crate comprising 20 kg of tomatoes) at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) at Narayangaon in Junnar tehsil for Rs three crore. He aims to earn another Rs 50 lakh by selling the remainder of the produce, which is roughly 4,000 crates. The total input cost of cultivation, including transportation, was Rs 40 lakh, he said. “I have an 18-acre farm where I cultivate tomatoes on 12 acres. I have sold 18,000 crates since June 11 and have so far earned Rs 3 crore,” said Gaykar.