Farmers dump tomatoes on road after steep fall in price

Kurnool: Shocked with the abrupt fall in price of tomato, the farmers threw their produce on the road on Friday. Later they staged a protest in front of Pathikonda Agriculture Market Yard demanding minimum support price for tomatoes.

A farmer Kasanna of Marella village in Pathikonda constituency speaking to The Hans India said that he had raised tomato crop in 5 acres and invested Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per acre. The cost includes use of pesticides, fertilisers and labour charges.

"This is the first yield we have reaped in this season. Today we had 48 baskets of tomatoes and they were brought to Agriculture Market Yard at Pathikonda. After coming here the price has shocked me, "said the farmer.

A basket of tomatoes (30 kg) is being sold at Rs 30. "If the produce is sold at such a cheap price, we have to bear additional expenditure from our pocket towards transportation charges," he said. Instead of selling tomatoes for nothing, it is better to dump them on roads so that they will serve as food to animals.

He alleged that the buyers were colluding with commission agents and purchasing the produce outside the market yard. Protesting against the attitude of agents, the farmers had staged a demonstration earlier.

Subsequently, the District Collector has instructed the market yard authorities to conduct auction inside the yard and not elsewhere. Despite the orders, the commission agents are acting on their own, alleged the farmer.

Speaking to The Hans India, Assistant Director of Horticulture, Raghunatha Reddy, said that they received reports that a basket of tomatoes were sold for Rs 30 only at Pathikonda. Whereas the same quantity of tomatoes were sold at Rs 350 at Billekal and Rs 300 at Peauply.

He also pointed out that it is just the beginning of the season and gradually the demand for tomatoes will rise.He further said that farmers cultivated tomato crop in 4,000 hectares across the district. The peak season for tomatoes is November and December.