Tomato prices crash, farmers urge government to provide support price
Tomato farmers in Kolar district are facing severe financial distress due to a sharp decline in market prices caused by a supply glut. Farmers are calling on the government to implement a support price of ₹30 per kg to cover cultivation costs.
Why it matters
Highlights the economic vulnerability of small-scale farmers to market volatility and the need for agricultural price stabilization policies.
Tomato-growing farmers in the Mulbagal taluk of Kolar district are distressed as the tomato prices have decreased sharply at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis from ₹500-550 to ₹150-200 in July.
On Saturday, the price of one crate of tomato comprising 15 kgs was ₹130-170 at the N. Vaddahalli APMC, which is a hub for tomato traders. Loads of tomato crates are purchased and exported to Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Kolkata and Delhi during the peak season of June to September from this APMC.
Traders in the wholesale and retail markets in Bengaluru, including K.R. Market, Yeshwanthpur, K.R. Puram, and Madiwala, said that the price has crashed during the last ten days.
Syed Mushtaq, secretary, Merchants Association in K.R. Market, said, “Now, we are selling tomatoes at ₹10 to ₹15 per kg in the wholesale market, against the earlier price of ₹60 to ₹70 per kg.”
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