Vijayawada: With the prices of tomatoes rising sharply this past week, the agriculture marketing department would supply this to consumers on a cost-to-cost basis.
Tomatoes are retailing between `55 and '65 in the open market. The agriculture marketing department plans to directly procure tomatoes from farmers in the Chittoor and Annamayya districts and sell them at a cost-to-cost basis through rythu bazaars in the Krishna, NTR, and Guntur districts.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, regional joint director of marketing (RJD) Vijayawada, Srinivasa Rao, said, “The prices of tomatoes are rising due to inclement weather. We shall procure tomatoes and sell them to consumers by only adding transportation charges.”
“Currently, we are procuring 20-30 tonnes daily. Plans are on for the marketing department to sell tomatoes through rythu bazaars across the state. Currently, tomato is cultivated only in the Chittoor district. No neighboring state cultivates tomato.”
Tomatoes will be procured from farmers through the Price Stability Fund (PSF). A `5 lakh revolving fund has been provided to the district agriculture marketing officers, he said.
The prices of chili, beans, ivy gourd, and other vegetables have soared across rythu bazaars and open markets in this region. Tomato was sold at `62 per kg at rythu bazaars on Tuesday. The price increased by `20 per kg in the last fortnight.
Tomatoes are being retailed for around `70 per kg by sellers in open markets.
The prices of beans (green, white, and French varieties) touched `145 per kg on Tuesday, from `120 per kg at the rythu bazaars on June 4.
The price of brinjal doubled in recent days, and it was being retailed at `36 per kg on Tuesday. Ivy gourd prices too doubled and were sold at `36 per kg on Tuesday.
Estate officer of Krishna Lanka Rythu Bazaar, John Victor, said there was a dip in the production of vegetables in AP due to prolonged heat conditions. “The prices of all vegetables increased by `5 while the prices of tomato, ivy gourd, and beans increased sharply.”
In view of the Bakrid festival, farmers did not harvest the crop in recent days. This reduced the supply to city markets.
K. Srinivas of Governor Pet rued that for over one-and-half-a-month, the prices of vegetables have been increasing and the authorities failed to intervene and help the consumers.
