GADAG: Irate farmers dumped tomatoes on roads leading to the wholesale market at Lakshmeshwar in Gadag district on Thursday, after traders informed them that prices had crashed to Rs 2 a kg.
Many farmers from Lakshmeshwar, Shirahatti and nearby villages brought tomatoes to the market in the morning, hoping for remunerative prices. But they were shocked when traders told them that the prices for a crate of tomatoes hovered between Rs 20 and Rs 30. A crate holds 25 kg of tomatoes.
Enraged, the farmers dumped their produce on the road and returned home. Tomatoes were sold for Rs 30 a kg last week and prices started crashing because of rain. Fearing that they would lose their crop if the rain continues, many started bringing tomatoes to the wholesale market from Wednesday.
According to sources, the traders at the wholesale market refused to buy tomatoes because of their poor quality, owing to incessant rain across Gadag district. Even at the wholesale markets in Gadag and other towns, prices of tomatoes have crashed to Rs 3-5 a kg. Farmers have stopped bringing their produce to the Gadag market as the money they get would not even help them meet their transport cost.