Tomato farmers in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh are staging a dramatic protest after the price of their crop fell to almost nothing. At the Pathikonda wholesale market, the price sank to just one rupee per kilogram – a shock that has left many farmers desperate.
To make their point loud and clear, growers dumped sacks of tomatoes onto the road, blocking the Gooty‑Mantralayam route. The move caused a temporary traffic jam but highlighted the urgent need for higher, fair prices. The farmers called on the state government to step in and secure better rates for their produce. They also urged officials to open a tomato‑processing plant in the area so they can keep more value-added work at home.
Andhra Pradesh remains the largest tomato producer in India, with a yield of 41.22 tonnes per hectare across 62,000 hectares. In Kurnool alone, tomato growers work about 4,800 hectares and produce roughly 167,000 tonnes each year. Tomatoes grow in the state during two seasons: the Kharif season from August to October and the Rabi season from December to April.
Pathikonda is the second‑largest tomato market in the state after Madanapalli in Chittoor district. Because prices are so volatile, the state government has decided to set up a locally owned processing unit. Early this year, a government order allocated Rs 11 crore for a 2.5‑acre tomato‑processing plant in Dudekonda. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had promised the plant during last season’s election campaign.
Just last month, YSR Congress Party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy criticised the TDP‑led government for “gross neglect of farmers,” pointing to steep falls in onion and tomato prices. He said the record low prices set by the current administration are unmatched. “In Kurnool, onions sell for only Rs 3 and tomatoes for Rs 1.50 per kilogram – can farmers survive on these prices?” he asked. Reddy urged immediate government action to protect tomato growers, many of whom feel they have no buyers for their harvest.
The government’s next steps will determine whether farmers can earn a living and whether the new processing plant will bring stability to the tomato market.
Source: ianslive
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