KURNOOL: For the first time in nearly a decade, tomato farmers in Kurnool district got nearly Rs 40 per kilo in October. Generally, the prices of tomato in the wholesale market of Pathikonda and other markets fall down to less than Rs 10 and even to Rs 2 per kilo during the month.
The low yield in neighbouring Telangana and Maharashtra due to heavy rains there have led to good demand for the produce from Kurnool.While tomato rates touched Rs 40 two days ago, the prices were stable between Rs 30 and 40 for the last five days.Generally, the prices of tomatoes sometimes even crash to 0.50 paise per kilo between September - November and the present situation makes the farmers happy.
“Lack of proper rains in the district, in a way, has proved good for the farmers. As there was not much yield, there was demand for the produce and the farmers are in a position to command the rates. This will continue for some more days,’’ Pathikonda Market Yard secretary M Sreenivasulu told The New Indian Express. Sreenivasulu added that the prices have spiralled by 10 times when compared to the previous year. “Last year, the price of tomato per kilo was just Rs 4,’’ he pointed out.
While the deficit rains in the district have caused low yield, the heavy rains in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana damaged the crops there, resulting in high demand for the produce from Kurnool, he added. Presently, over 60 tonnes of tomato are exported to other States daily from the district resulting in reduction of stocks in local markers.
This, in turn, shot up tomato prices in the local markets in the past one week. Market yard officials said nearly 75 per cent of the daily arrivals to the Pathikonda market, one of the largest in the State, are being exported to other States. “If we are getting 80 tonnes of tomato in the market a day, at least 60 tonnes are getting exported,’’ an official said. Tomato is grown in nearly 15,000 hectares in the district and with less rains, the yield has come down by 60 per cent.
An elated Boya Ranganna, a farmer from Nelibanda village in Pathikonda talik, said they are getting good prices this year. “Hardly three weeks back, I sold a kilo of tomato produce for Rs 2 per kilo. But now, the prices have skyrocketed,’’ he said.“It is like a Dasara gift for us this year,” he said, adding they were a relieved lot as they suffered losses for the past two years.
Another farmer Mahamad Basha of Pathikonda town said he sold his produce at the market at Rs 40 per kg. Two weeks ago he got only Rs 4 per kg. He further said rains which recorded more at neighbouring states and less at Kurnool bring cheers in their life this year. He hoped that the price would touch Rs 60 in the next couple of weeks.