Kolar tomatoes find good domestic, global market

BENGALURU: Tomato growers in Kolar are happy — their crop has found a good market not just in neighbouring states but also across the border in Bangladesh. Kolar’s APMC market saw about 6,000 quintals landing each day, and an annual turnover of `400 crore before the pandemic hit, making it one of Asia’s largest markets for tomatoes.

On average, tomato is grown on about 10,000 acres in the district, mostly in Mulbagal and Srinivaspura taluks. However, the uncertainties induced by the pandemic resulted in a lower than usual harvest this year. “Due to the pandemic and the lockdown, many farmers did not cultivate the crop. Instead of 6,000 quintals, about 4,000 quintals arrive at the market each day now,” APMC president B Venkatesh Kolar told TNIE.

Before the pandemic and subsequent lockdown disrupted international trade, tomato growers in Kolar exported their produce to Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan and China. With travel restrictions eased after the lockdown was lifted, exports to Bangladesh have resumed. Each day for the past few weeks, lorries laden with 400 tonnes of tomatoes have been making their way to the neighbouring country.

“Every day, 20 lorries are sent to Bangladesh. It takes four to five days to reach the Bangladesh border from Kolar. They pass Kolkata and unload tomatoes at the India-Bangladesh border,” Venkatesh said. Exports to the other three countries have not resumed as flight operations are yet to reach normal levels. 

There is also good domestic demand in Kerala, West Bengal, UP, Delhi, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, due to the poor harvest in other tomato-growing states. “This created a demand for Kolar-grown tomatoes. The price of a 15kg box of tomatoes, which fell to Rs 50, crossed Rs 600. Two days ago, it touched Rs 800 in auctions. During the pandemic, it has brought a smile to tomato growers in Kolar,” said Muniraj, APMC market supervisor.