Comparatively, last year, during the same period, farmers earned Rs 400,000 to 500,000 per acre but this year they could only in thousands which affected their livelihood. For instance, last year 1 kg tomato was sold for Rs 25 to 30 in market, but this year it is priced as low as Rs 10 to 15, indicating a 50% drop in rates, this season.
“Traders have formed a syndicate in the market and are purchasing tomatoes for lower rates and causing huge losses to farmers” says Kunta Narsa Reddy, farmer of Donkal village, Morthad Mandal.
In Nizamabad district farmers sow tomato crop in Navipet, Nandipet, Makloor, Armoor, Nizamabad and Armoor, Vailpoor, Balkonda, Morthad, Kammarpally, Jakranpally, Dharpally, Bheemgal, Sirikonda, Ditchpally mandals of Armoor sub-division and Nizamabad divisions. Gadari Laxmi, a woman farmer, said that this year their family sowed tomato crop in 1/1/2 acre but couldn’t get back their meagre investment of Rs,35,000, due to fall in procurement rates.
Palle Ganga Reddy, BJP Nizamabad District president said the tomato farmers were suffering every year because of rates fluctuation. He demanded the government to setup cold storages at Nizamabad district to preserve tomato crop to control demand and supply and install industries to utilise tomato crop, he added.
