Tirupati: Cultivators of tomato in erstwhile Chittoor district are enjoying a windfall as prices of the fruit have nearly doubled in just two weeks.
Until mid-May, farmers sold a 15-kg box of tomatoes in Punganur, Palamaner, Madanapalle and other markets for ₹110 to ₹210. However, a supply crunch and surge in demand have pushed the prices up to ₹520 per box.
"Prices have shot through the roof this week, with traders from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka thronging our markets,” said Ramaiah, a farmer from Punganur. He had earlier been ruing as prices of tomato had been below ₹10 a kg.
The western region of former Chittoor district, including Madanapalle, Punganur and Palamaner, is renowned for tomato cultivation. It attracts traders from across Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Telangana.
Encouraged by last year's remunerative prices, farmers took up tomato cultivation on a large scale this season. However, unseasonal rains and adverse weather delayed arrival of the new crop in the market.
"In Punganur, daily arrivals are currently just 400–500 tonnes, compared to 900 tonnes during the same period last year. With traders from other states arriving to pick up the product, prices are likely to stay up firmly in the coming weeks," explained Rajendra Reddy, a commission agent.
At Madanapalle, Asia's largest tomato market, prices of superior quality produce have peaked, with rates of a 25-kg crate ranging from ₹575 to a staggering ₹1,100.
