Vijayawada: Farmers in Andhra Pradesh are facing severe financial distress as the price of tomatoes continues to decline sharply. With supply far exceeding demand, many farmers have been forced to leave their crops unharvested in fear of losses.
However, the drastic fall in price is not limited to tomatoes. Farmers growing eggplants, chillies, and other vegetables are also struggling, as wholesale rates have plummeted unexpectedly. Many had cultivated tomatoes expecting high profits, especially considering the price surge in Aug 2024, when tomatoes were sold for 80 per kg.
The coastal districts of AP, including Krishna, NTR, and West Godavari, generally witness peak tomato production from Dec to March. However, this year, an exceptionally high yield in Madanapalle has led to an oversupply, further pushing down prices. At Rajiv Gandhi wholesale market in Vijayawada, tomatoes are being sold at just 11 per kg. Farmers claimed that even harvesting cost is around 5 per kg, and hence, this makes cultivation unprofitable.
“We cultivated tomatoes on ten acres, expecting to sell at 25 per kg. However, brokers are offering just 6 per kg, leaving us with huge losses,” said Kotte Subba Rao, a farmer from Nandigama in NTR district.
The crisis extends to green chilli farmers, who are struggling with low market rates. While the retail price for green chillies reached 25 per kg, wholesale buyers are offering only 10 per kg, leading to significant financial losses. Reeling under market fluctuations, vegetable farmers are now seeking govt intervention to stabilize prices and provide relief.
