Facing assembly elections later this year, the Gujarat government on Monday announced financial assistance to the farmers growing potato and tomato in the form of transport assistance for exports. The move is seen as a step directed to please a large section of potato and tomato growing farmers.

Announcing the decision, the deputy chief minister, Nitin Patel stated that a the move is aimed at assisting farmers in the transport cost of tomato and potato.

"The government has decided to provide financial assistance to transport potato and tomato out of Gujarat and outside country. The assistance for road transport is Rs 750 per tonne, while if the same is transported through rail transport the assistance provided will be Rs 1,150 per tonne. And if the produce is exported outside India, the state government will provide 25 per cent of the total transportation cost up to the upper limit of Rs 10 lakh per farmer," Patel informed.

The state has witnessed potato sowing on 1,24,000 hectares, while tomato sowing is in excess of 45,000 hectares resulting into bumper crop.

Higher availability of the crop has resulted into a steep decline in the prices, thereby making it non-remunerative for the farmers. In this scenario, a financial support from the government is seen as an encouragement to the farmers to reduce the costs and increase their earnings.

At several villages, farmers dumped their crop and fed it to the cattle in stead of incurring additional cost to take it to the market.

Tomato prices in Ahmedabad have declined to as low as Rs 250 per quintal in the wholesale market in January, as against Rs 1200-1500 witnessed in the month of October.

Similarly, potato prices have declined to Rs 500 per quintal, making it non-remunerative for farmers. Potato prices had hovered around Rs 800-850 in Ahmedabad market in October.

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