Tomato price crash leaves farmers in distress
Tirupati: Tomato growers across the undivided Chittoor district are reeling under severe financial stress as prices continue to remain abnormally low this February, defying the usual seasonal trend of recovery.
At the famed Madanapalle Tomato Market, widely regarded as Asia’s largest tomato trading hub, a 15-kg box is currently fetching a meagre Rs 90 to Rs 100. In retail markets, prices hover between Rs 3 and Rs 12 per kg, leaving farmers struggling to recover even transportation and labour costs. The nearby Palamaner market yard is witnessing a similar slump.
Traditionally, February and March offer some respite to growers, with a 15-kg box commanding Rs 400 to Rs 700 in previous years. This season, however, hopes of a rebound have faded. Farmers from across Rayalaseema who transported their produce expecting better returns now find themselves burdened with mounting debts and pending cultivation loans. At the Tirupati Rythu Bazar, tomatoes were sold at Rs 12 and Rs 9 per kg on Thursday, depending on quality. Data from the Agricultural Market Committee (AMC) reveals a steady decline. On February 17, first-grade tomatoes were priced at Rs 160–190 per 10 kg (modal price Rs 180), while second-grade varieties fetched Rs 110–150 (modal Rs 140), with arrivals of 46 metric tonnes. By February 24, first-grade prices had fallen to Rs 120–140 and second-grade to Rs 90–110, even as arrivals rose to 66 metric tonnes - indicating excess supply amid weak demand.
Market officials attribute the downturn partly to reduced interstate exports. AMC Secretary Jagadeesh explained that while tomatoes are in the off-season locally, major producing states such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh are currently harvesting their own crops. Consequently, traders from these regions are not sourcing from Madanapalle, dampening demand. Tomato cultivation spans nearly 1,500 hectares across Madanapalle, Punganur and Palamaner regions. With arrivals expected to increase further from March, farmers fear that unless demand improves, the crisis may deepen. Annamayya district Marketing Assistant Director T Tyagaraju said wholesale prices currently range between Rs 7 and Rs 9 per kg and may stabilise within a week. He said that, if necessary, the department would intervene and procure tomatoes for supply to Rythu Bazars.
