COIMBATORE: The farmgate price of tomato has dropped below 10 per kg in the district from 100 two months ago. While this is a good news for the consumers, tomato farmers are facing a tough time. They said any further dip in the price would cause them severe loss.
The price of tomato had increased exponentially in November last year, when the retail price touched 130 a kg in the city after the incessant rainfall hit the production. While the situation helped a few farmers, many could not seize on the opportunity because of a poor yield.
Farmers from Madukkarai, Thondamuthur and Kinathukadavu blocks cultivate tomato extensively in the district. As per the data available with the horticulture department, tomato is cultivated on 3,500-4,000 acres land in the district yearly.
Farmers said it required an investment of 1 lakh to cultivate tomato on an acre. “The crop starts yielding in three months and it lasts for as many months. We can cover the production cost, if we get 10 per kg. But traders are asking us to drop the price below 10,” one of them said.
A Rajamani, a tomato farmer from Pullakavundanpudur, said the present farmgate price was 9 per kg, while traders are selling it at 15 per kg in retail shops. “We will get some profit if 1kg tomato is priced above 12.”
C Muthukumar, another farmer, said he could not benefit from the high price last year as his crop was completely damaged in the rain. “Now I have a good harvest, but the price has come down.”
