TIRUPPUR: Following a glut in supply, the wholesale price of tomato crashed to Rs 5-6 per kg in Tiruppur and Erode districts. Consequently, the retail prices have also fallen to Rs 9-10 per kg.
ON Shibudeen, a vegetable agent in Thennampalayam market in Tiruppur, attributed the price drop to a bountiful harvest. However, this has hurt farmers and traders as the excess supply of native variety has led to a slump in prices. "We now get around 7 tonnes of tomatoes daily, compared to 4-5 tonnes earlier. As a result, the wholesale rates have dropped to `5-6, leading to losses," he said.
Tomatoes are sourced from Pongalur, Udumalaipet, Polikalipalayam, Avinashipalayam in Tiruppur. But, over the past few days, the surplus supply from the other districts such as Dindigul and Krishnagiri have been flowing into the district, said Tamil Nadu Farmers Association (Udumalaipet) vice-president SR Madhusoodan.
In Erode, tomatoes from Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, and Andhra Pradesh have been hitting the markets, in addition to local supply from Thalavadi, Sathyamangalam and other areas in the district, says Ibrahim Badusha, a vegetable agent from Netaji temporary market. "As opposed to a normal supply of 3,000-4000 boxes of tomatoes in the market, around 6,000 boxes are being supplied currently."