CHITTOOR: Incidents of stealing tomatoes from the fields are being reported in Annamayya district as the prices of the vegetable are skyrocketing in the wholesale markets. Unidentified miscreants had stolen 20 crates of tomatoes worth Rs 40,000 from the fields of R Krishna Reddy, a farmer, in Yerraballi recently. As the vegetable has become precious, tomato growers have been forced to guard their standing crop at several paces in the district.
About 1,080 tonnes of tomatoes have arrived at the markets in the district this month, compared to 3,000 tonnes during the same month last year. One crate of tomatoes is priced at Rs 3,500 this month, fetching good profits to growers.
“I have raised tomato crop in four acres. However, the crop yield is less than expected this season due to pest attacks. I have been hearing theft of tomatoes from the fields on a daily basis in recent weeks. Hence, I have started guarding the tomato crop round-the-clock,” said K Swamy, a farmer of Gurramkonda. Tomato is cultivated in western parts of the district, including Pileru, Madanapalle and Tamballapalle divisions.
“Our family has been cultivating tomato crops for the past two-and-a-half decades. We have never witnessed the stealing of tomatoes from the fields. In the wake of reports of theft in recent weeks, six of our family members are protecting the standing tomato crop in seven acres round-the-clock. We hope to get a good profit this season if the prices of tomatoes remain high, said V Suresh, a farmer of Madanapalle.