Soaring tomato prices: Relief likely with Kharif arrivals before month-end

TIRUPATI: The major surge in tomato prices continues with significant let-up, but market sources say the prices might come down once the Kharif tomatoes arrive in the markets by this month-end. The tomato-producing areas are now plucking the last of the summer crop.

Subramanyam Reddy, wholesaler from Chittoor district, believes the prices might decline in about 20 days’ time.

Chittoor district horticulture officer Madhusudhana Reddy also agreed with this timeline, saying the prices are likely to stabilise by the first week of September. Traders at the Madanapalle market suggest that the prices may continue to remain high for the full month.

The Madanapalle market, Asia's largest for tomatoes, normally gets 800-900 mt of the produce daily. The arrivals surge to 1,400-1,500 mt in the season’s peak. However, recent days saw the arrivals drop to 300 mt, creating a supply-demand gap and higher prices.

On Wednesday, tomato prices ranged from Rs 158 to Rs 184, averaging Rs 176 per kg.

The occurrence of 'bacteria wilt’, a disease leading to the sudden extinction of tomato plants in the Kolar region and other areas of Karnataka, posed a risk to the tomato crops in the adjacent districts of Chittoor and Annamayya.

District horticulture officer Madhusudhana Reddy told Deccan Chronicle that the disease has not yet affected the region. The department has launched an awareness campaign for farmers.

"Bacterial wilt is deadly for crops like tomato, chilli, brinjal and potato. Once this arrives in the field, it's difficult to manage as soil is the primary source of infection. Chemical sprays are ineffective. The wilt leads to imminent extinction of the plants”

"Symptoms may appear during the fruit-bearing season, releasing bacteria into the soil and infecting the plants in the neighbourhood. Practices like crop rotation and planting non-susceptible crops such as corn or beans can reduce soil-borne diseases," he stated.

The horticulture department has asked the field staff to propose remedial steps to farmers. “Grafting can prevent the spread of the bacteria wilt. Farmers are urged to inform the department immediately if their crops are affected. Additionally, we propose steps such as initiating a soil-reclamation drive,” he said.