Tomato-growers blame Covid restrictions for wholesale price drop

Tomato farmers in vegetable belts of northern districts of Haryana face losses as the wholesale prices have declined to around ₹2 per kg

Tomato farmers in vegetable belts of northern districts of Haryana face losses as the wholesale prices have declined to around ₹2 per kg.

The harvesting of this widely-grown vegetable has just begun in the region and farmers said they are not even able to bear the harvesting and transportation cost. (HT Photo)

The harvesting of this widely-grown vegetable has just begun in the region and farmers said they are not even able to bear the harvesting and transportation cost.

“I sold 20 crates (25kg per crate) at ₹80 per crate to a local dealer who then sold it at around ₹120 per crate,” said farmer Nasib Singh, of Ladwa, who has grown tomatoes on four acre.

Another farmer Som Prakash of Indri in Karnal said, “Bulk prices are around ₹2-3 per kg and at this cost we will not be able to earn even the production cost which is around ₹30,000 per acre.”

The government had announced that farmers can sell their produce even during lockdown but traders and farmers blame Covid-19 restrictions and the lockdown behind fall in prices.

“Delhi is the biggest market for vegetables, especially tomato, and now transporters are hesitating to travel to Delhi due to rise in Covid cases,” said vegetable trader Ravinder Kumar.

He said even the transporters have increased the transportation charges and most farmers are unable to take their produce to Delhi.

According to farmers, last year also the prices of tomatoes had remained around ₹5 per kg during the lockdown as traders from Delhi, who open purchase centres in Haryana for direct purchase from farmers, are not coming in.

As per figures of the state horticulture department, the state has around 32,000 hectare under tomato crop this year and the production is likely to remain at around 6.50 lakh tonnes.

HARYANA AIMS TO SET UP OVER 1,000 FPOS

CHANDIGARH The Haryana government aims to set up more than 1,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in state. An official spokesperson said some FPOs associated with tomato cultivation have played an important role in contributing to prosperity of farmers. The spokesperson said May and June are crucial in terms of sale of tomato crop as the crop will be ready for harvest and there is possibility of drop in crop prices in mandis due to bumper harvest. The spokesperson said the situation has become more serious amid pandemic and to overcome this, the state government last year facilitated coordination between food processing companies and FPOs with the help of horticulture department and Small Farmers’ Agri-Business Consortium. The spokesperson said that in view of the tomato yield this year, the FPOs of the state have started supplying tomatoes to food processing companies.