TIRUPATI: Tomato farmers in and around Madanapalle are facing severe distress as prices have sharply fallen over the past week due to excess supply and export disruptions. The situation has worsened to the extent that vendors in Tirupati and Chittoor towns are selling tomatoes at throwaway prices, with some offering as much as 7 kg for just Rs 100.
According to market sources, wholesale tomato prices in the Madanapalle market have remained between Rs 10 and Rs 15 per kg over the last week, a steep decline compared to the usual Rs 30–50 per kilogram range. In retail markets across Tirupati and Chittoor, prices have dropped drastically, making tomatoes one of the cheapest vegetables currently available.
The primary reason behind this price crash is a glut in production.
This season, tomato cultivation has been reported across nearly 18,000 to 22,000 hectares (around 45,000 to 55,000 acres) in the erstwhile Chittoor region, including Madanapalle, Annamayya, and surrounding belts. The bumper harvest has led to a flood of arrivals in the markets, far exceeding demand. Adding to the crisis, exports to Gulf countries have slowed down significantly due to ongoing tensions in West Asia. Disruptions in shipping routes, increased freight costs, and delays have made it difficult for exporters to send fresh goods like tomatoes. As a result, produce that would normally be shipped abroad is now being diverted to local markets, further increasing supply and pushing prices down.
Traders also point out that reduced demand from bulk buyers such as hotels and food processing units has contributed to the falling prices. The lack of adequate cold storage and processing facilities has left farmers with no option but to sell their produce immediately, often at very low prices.
Farmers say the current prices are not even covering their basic investment costs, including labour, transport, and cultivation expenses.
Siva Sankar, a tomato farmer from Kalikiri in Annamayya district who cultivated the crop on five acres, expressed concern over the situation. “We invested heavily this season expecting good returns, but now prices have collapsed completely. We are not even recovering our costs,” he said.
The ongoing crisis highlights the vulnerability of farmers to market fluctuations and external factors such as global conflicts.
Unless immediate measures like market intervention, better storage facilities, and export support are taken, farmers fear continued losses in the coming weeks.