Kakinada: Farmers see red over price fall

Kakinada: Tomato farmers are suffering huge losses as the prices of tomatoes have drastically fallen. This has made the future of the farmers bleak. Tomatoes which demanded Rs 50 per kilo 45 days back, now sells for Rs 2-Rs 3 per kilo. In the open market like Rythu Bazaars, the price is Rs 10 per kilo. 

Farmers grew more tomato crops this season as farmers expected tomatoes to fetch a good price. Horticulture and agriculture officials also encouraged the crop as an alternative crop. 

According to the horticulture department officials, tomato used to be cultivated in 200 hectares every year. But, this season, the crop is being cultivated in more than 500 acres. The farmers of Gollaprolu and Pithapuram are at a higher loss as these regions grew more tomato crops then expected. 

“We cultivated tomato as an alternative to cotton, as cotton attracted pests. The agriculture and horticulture officials also suggested that we grow tomato for getting good returns as the market prices of the crop were quite high then. But now, the prices have drastically crashed. We are not even able to meet harvesting charges,” said N. Appa Rao, a farmer harvesting tomato this season. He said that though traders purchased tomatoes at '2 to '3 per kilo from farmers, the prices in open market is '10. He requested officials to take steps for getting the market prices. 

He said that the government should purchase the product from the farmers and sell it to the consumers. That way it will be profitable for both farmers and consumers as the government will not face any loss or financial burden. 

Horticulture officials say that farmers are cultivating tomatoes on the fields and it leads to low yields. If they cultivate the crop through pandals, they get more yields and can get profits. The government should also give subsidy for the pandals crops.