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Farmers in Tamil Nadu have been advised to take up bhendi and brinjal cultivation in the ensuing sowing season, commonly termed as “Karthigai pattam” and desist from cultivating tomato.
Advising farmers on Karthigai pattam sowing, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University experts said that while the climatic parameters appear to be most conducive for tomato cultivation in the State, heavy arrivals from local farmers as also from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have pulled down the prices of tomato.
Further, adequate rainfall both in Karnataka and this region have resulted in higher tomato acreage. The wholesale market rate ranges between Rs 3 and 8 a kg of tomato, while it is hovering at a low of Rs 40 per 15 kg crate in Ottanchattiram market, experts at the Back Office of Agro Marketing Intelligence and Business Promotion Centre operating at the Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies, TNAU, said.
After analysing the sowing pattern and price movement of various crops in this region, they said that all vegetable crops were grown and marketed between July and February (Two season – Adi and Thai pattam).
Considering the present and after taking into account the price movement over the past 11 years into account, indications are rife that the prices of tomato will slide to its lowest in January- February 2015, notwithstanding the rainfall in the coming months, the experts said.
According to a survey, prices of brinjal would peak in November-December compared to other periods due to exhaustion of harvest of Adi Pattam sowing. However, with the arrivals of Karthigai pattam brinjal, prices would slide in January-February compared to the current level.
The price trend of bhendi is mixed at present. Heavy arrivals in Coimbatore and Thalaivasal wholesale markets have pushed the prices downwards, while heavy rains in Dindigul district have pushed the prices north in the Ottanchattiram market.
Experts say that the crop performance is low during winter months due to powdery mildew occurrence. Prices therefore tend to move north during January-February.
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