Hero Image

Tomato price drops to Rs 5 per kg in Erode

Erode: Tomato price has dropped to Rs 5 from Rs 25 in the district as supply has exceeded the demand, following a bumper harvest. Farmers have , meanwhile , decided not to harvest tomatoes until the price goes up.

K Vairavel, treasurer, Nethaji vegetable market in Erode city, said the farmers, who had realized good profit in the past few months, were now facing a huge loss.



One of the important retail markets in the district, Nethaji vegetable market usually receives 700 boxes, each weighing 28kg, of tomatoes a day. “Suddenly, the supply has increased to 5,000 boxes, pushing down the prices to a new low this year,” Vairavel said.

Pointing out that one box of tomato was sold at Rs 700 in the wholesale market until August third week, he said now the same was available at just Rs 150.

Tomato is extensively cultivated in Mecheri and Vazhapadi in Salem, Rayakottai in Krishnagiri and Sathyamangalam and surrounding villages in Erode. Tomatoes from these areas are supplied across the state. There are five major tomato markets in the state - Pollachi in Tirupur, Coimbatore, Oddanchatram in Dindigul, Thalaivasal in Salem and Koyambedu in Chennai.

Tomato farmers in Erode said the good quality tomato was priced at Rs 25 per kg until August third week.

“The price started to drop in the fourth week of August and it is now priced at Rs 5 per kg,” said K Jayaraman, a farmer in Sathyamangalam. He lamented that they were facing a huge loss.

READ ON APP