CHITTOOR/KURNOOL: Farmers in Rayalaseema, especially in the Pathikonda constituency, are in deep distress as tomato prices have plummeted dramatically. At the Pathikonda market, one of the region’s largest wholesale hubs, farmers reported selling tomatoes for as low as Rs 1 per kg, despite official records showing a minimum price of Rs 8 per kg.
Farmers allege rampant price manipulation by traders, accusing them of underreporting prices to pocket the difference while paying negligible amounts. Alleged collusion between traders and officials has further fuelled their despair. However, Pathikonda market yard secretary Karnalise refuted the allegations, claiming prices ranged from Rs 8 to Rs 18 per kg based on quality.
Officials, including Pathikonda RDO Bharath Naik and Marketing Assistant Director Satyanarayana, visited the market following complaints. Joint Collector B Navya assured farmers of action, stating the Agricultural Marketing Department had procured 13 tonnes of tomatoes for distribution in Machilipatnam, Guntur, and Kurnool. She warned traders against violations and set a minimum price of Rs 4 per kg.
Meanwhile, farmers in Punganur are grappling with similar challenges. Recent rains and crop diseases have damaged harvests, triggering steep price drops. On December 2, top-grade tomatoes fetched Rs 66.70 per kg, but by Monday, prices fell to Rs 17.40 per kg.
Farmers lament that cultivating an acre of tomatoes costs over Rs 1.5 lakh, but current returns barely cover labour and transport expenses. A 15-kg box that sold for Rs 1,000 last week now fetches only Rs 100 to Rs 260. They attribute the crash to a surplus from Chhattisgarh and other regions flooding local markets.
Traders are reportedly favouring tomatoes from Kadiri and Anantapur, sidelining local farmers. Poor infrastructure in markets like Palamaner adds to their woes, while traders selling directly to consumers at reduced rates, such as Rs 45 for 2.5 kg, exacerbate losses.
Many farmers had hoped for better prices this season due to crop diseases in Tamil Nadu, anticipating Rs 1,000 per 15-kg box in the New Year.
However, oversupply has dashed those hopes, leaving them trapped in a cycle of high input costs and dwindling returns.