The Hindu Business Line : Tomato prices at all-time low in TN

TOMATO growers in Tamil Nadu are an aggrieved lot. Contrary to expectations, the rates have taken a beating this year. Market sources expect the trend to continue for some time.

The sudden drop in rates has been attributed to heavy arrivals of tomato from Madanapalle market in particular. Growers say that about 600 tonnes of tomato arrive every day in Tamil Nadu, pushing the prices to an all-time low of 40-50 paise a kg at the farmgate.

While growers are concerned about this unexpected steep fall in the rates, traders appear to be the least affected by this trend.

Sources at the Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies (CARDS) of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University say that the Madanapalle tomato season would be over by end-June. "We have another 15 days to go. In the meantime, arrivals from Kolar in Karnataka is likely to flood the market. This trend will continue till July-end. The prices could increase in the event of rains in these areas affecting production and reducing supply," the source said.

Traders say that the weekly average price ranged between Rs 2 and Rs 6 a kg for the week ended June 3.

Industry sources said the prices had peaked at Rs 14 a kg in May-June during the previous three years, and growers had taken to tomato cultivation in a big way. The total acreage (under tomato cultivation) in Tamil Nadu has touched 2.5 lakh hectares.

The beginning of the harvest season, however, appeared to be good. Rates were moderate, ranging between Rs 4 and Rs 14 a kg. The price levels started declining only after the third week of May, when the tomato harvested in the adjoining States started to flood the Tamil Nadu market. Since then, tomato growers have seen no respite.

(Summer tomato (January to May and February to June) is cultivated in Dindigul, Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts. The harvest coincides with the summer months and the prices soar due to low production. But this year, most growers have taken to precision farming and the yield levels have also improved. Low pest occurrence and higher yield has further added to the woes of the growers).

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