Govt to procure tomatoes at Rs 8 per kg

Pattikonda: Ina major relief to distressed tomato farmers, the State government has announced procurement of tomatoes at a fixed price of Rs 8 per kg through Agricultural Market Yard. This decision comes in the wake of a sharp decline in tomato prices in the region, which left farmers struggling to recover their investment.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, Pattikonda Market Yard Chairman Alamkonda Nabi Saheb said that the tomato growers in Pattikonda and surrounding areas have been facing severe hardship due to the drastic fall in prices. Many farmers were unable to even cover their basic cultivation costs.

Responding to the crisis, the local MLA informed the matter to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who directed the officials to implement the procurement scheme immediately. Farmers were told to bring well-graded and quality tomatoes to market yard, where the government will directly purchase them at Rs 8 per kg.

The Chairman appealed to farmers to cooperate with officials by following grading procedures and bringing only sorted, good-quality produce.