DHARMAPURI: A seasonal glut has led to steep fall in tomato prices across Dharmapuri, with wholesale rates plunging to as low as Rs 6 per kilo. Farmers say the sudden crash has caused severe distress, especially as the surplus has emerged ahead of peak summer, when demand typically rises. Growers have urged the state government to step in and announce a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for tomatoes to protect them from heavy losses.
Every year, the tomato glut starts during peak summer, with prices dropping alarmingly low. However, an early glut this year has led to a surplus in supply, driving down the price of tomatoes. Traders said, "Tomato prices have reached Rs 120 per 15 kg box. With a portion of the cost accounted for transportation, farmers are only provided with `6 per kg. It was Rs 26 per kg only 10 days ago."
Speaking to TNIE, P Ganeshan from Palacode said, "The failure of both monsoons last year forced farmers to opt for tomato cultivation. With low water reserves in lakes and the declining water levels in wells at Palacode, farmers are left with limited options. So every summer, farmers opt for tomatoes. But this year, the glut came even before summer. This is extremely worrisome; farmers invest up to Rs 20,000 per acre, and now, they will not reap any profits. We need MSP to support the poor farmers."
Another farmer, G Nandhakumar, a trader from Palacode market, said, "It is not only Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka that are facing a glut; there is very little demand in the markets. So naturally, the prices drop. We are getting about 15 to 18 tonnes of tomatoes per day at Palacode market, but nowhere to sell. Over the years, the market has shrunk significantly and we are also not able to procure large volumes."
M Selvaraj from Nallampalli said, "We need MSP. As summer draws close, the price of tomatoes will reduce further. There have been instances where the price of tomatoes had dropped to Rs 1 or Rs 2 per kg. The government must provide an MSP of at least Rs 9 per kg for farmers to reap some profits. We hope the state government considers the situation and help marginalised farmers overcome losses."
When TNIE reached out to officials in the Agricultural Marketing Department, they said, "The failure of crop rotation is the cause of the glut. We have been advising farmers to sow other crops, but farmers ignore our opinions. As the summer draws near, the production area will only increase, so prices could drop further. The MSP has been a long-pending demand of the farmers, and the state government will decide on the policy decisions."