Tomato Prices Crash Due To Market Glut In Rayalaseema

Kurnool: Tomato prices have crashed sharply across the Rayalaseema region, dealing a severe blow to farmers cultivating the horticultural crop. A bumper harvest in districts such as Anantapur, Nandyal, Kurnool and Kadapa has led to a glut in markets, resulting in a steep fall in prices.At the Pattikonda market in Kurnool district, tomatoes are being traded at as low as ₹8 per kg. Retail prices have also dropped to ₹8–₹10 per kg, pointing to an even weaker situation in wholesale trade. Supermarkets, which were selling tomatoes at around ₹40 per kg earlier, have reduced prices to about ₹15 per kg.Farmers say the crash has left them struggling to recover cultivation costs. “We are not getting remunerative prices. For the past three years, tomato prices have been crashing just when the crop is ready for harvest,” said a farmer from Pyapili in Kurnool district.Tomato cultivation is widespread in Pattikonda, Aspari, Billekallu, Devanakonda and Veerupapuram areas of Kurnool district. In Kadapa district, the crop is extensively grown in Proddatur, Badvel and Pulivendula regions.In Kurnool district alone, tomatoes are cultivated over nearly 4,800 hectares, with an estimated production of around 1.6 lakh tonnes, farmers said, adding that the price slump has raised concerns over mounting losses this season.A Pattikonda market official said, “When arrivals are high, prices tend to fall. This year, the market has received tomatoes in unusually large quantities.”



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