AP government steps in to keep tomato price under check

VIJAYAWADA: In a BID to keep tomatoes affordable to all, the State agriculture department has decided to sell the fruit at economical prices through rythu bazaars across the State from Friday. Tomatoes have been selling at rates upwards of Rs 80 a kilogram due to a shortage. The prevailing circumstances forced the government to intervene to protect the interests of the consumers,  Minister for Agriculture and Marketing Kakani Govardhan Reddy in a press release on Thursday. 

He said traders have been procuring tomatoes from other States due to the limited availability during the ongoing summer, and selling them at a premium price. Taking a serious view of the development, the government decided on market intervention, the minister added. Detailing the plan, Govardhan Reddy said the government would import tomatoes from other States and sell them through rythu bazaars at economical rates from May 20 onwards. 

Orders to this effect have been issued to the senior officials of the agriculture and marketing department and CEOs of rythu bazaars, the said minister, and urged the people to utilise the opportunity to purchase tomatoes from government-run bazaars. The area of tomato cultivation was brought down by farmers of Chittoor and other places in view of the losses they have incurred in the past two seasons due to the Covid pandemic and other reasons. This year, the untimely rains in November and December have affected the yield in Madanapalle and nearby areas of Chittoor, where tomatoes are cultivated.

This led to low arrivals to the Madanapalle market, leading to rise in prices. Adding to this, the ongoing marriage season has also had its impact on the prices. Though this has resulted in the farmers getting profits, the consumers are at the receiving end with the price of the produce hovering between `80-`100 a kg.On the other hand, the traditional farmers in the Uddanam region complain that they are not getting profits even as the prices are touching `100 in the retail market as the middlemen and traders are getting most of the profits.