The price of tomatoe decreased by 1,200 percent at Madanapalle market in a span of a fortnight with increased supply from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, as well as from farms in the Anantapur region.
During mid-July, the price of tomatoe at Madanapalle market had reached a high of Rs 30 per kg when farmers and traders reaped high profits.
As a drought-like situation prevailed in the state and neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka due to poor monsoon, the tomato farmer got unexpectedly high return for his produce in July.
The price of tomato at Madanapalle market in June was just Rs 2.50 per kg. With increased supply from the two neighbouring states following good rains there in July, the cost of tomatoes came down again to Rs 2.50 per kg on Thursday. Increasing from Rs 2.50 per kg to Rs 32 per kg and reverting back to Rs 2.50 per kg has occurred in a month’s time.
Speaking to Express, K Lakshmi, a housewife in Tirupati who came to purchase tomatoes at the market, said the price of tomato at the Tirupati vegetable market 10-days ago was Rs 32 per kg and that it had come down to Rs 10 per kg on Thursday, which surprised her pleasantly. Lakshmi said the price in June was less than Rs 10 per kg in the retail market, but touched the Rs 32 per kg mark in a short time.
Farmers, particularly from Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu, Chintamani in Karnataka, as well as from Anantapur in the state are supplying tomatoes in large quantities to the Madanapalle market, which is the main reason for the fall in prices. The price fall has brought cheer to households in the state, but the farmers, middlemen and retailers are a dejected lot as their profits have crashed.
Madanapalle marketing yard chairman Nasiruddin said the prices at Madanapalle market reflect not only the situation in the state but also in the neighbouring two states. The price of tomato will come down in Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru. The Madanapalle market influences the prices of vegetables in all the three states, he said.