Consumers buy twice the normal quantity - Sudden reduction in the tomato price in Chennai!!
Posted on: 23/Jul/2022 9:19:17 AM
Now, there is a sudden reduction in the price of tomatoes in the Koyambedu wholesale market in Chennai. The price of tomatoes has dropped by Rs 10 to Rs 13 per kilogram. This was mentioned by some traders at the market. Bumper harvest in the states like Maharashtra, AP and Karnataka has been cited as the reason for the sudden fall in the tomato rates now.
It was highlighted by some merchants that a bumper crop of tomatoes in the above mentioned states triggered the price crash. In the Koyambedu market, the price of hybrid tomatoes went down by Rs 18 per kg. This has led to an increase in the buying of tomatoes now by the consumers. Many consumers purchased twice the normal quantity of tomatoes at the market.
Last month on an average, the Koyambedu market received about 50 loads of tomatoes but on Thursday the market received about 70loads of tomatoes.
The lack of sufficient cold storage facility at the market has been an issue and the tomatoes perished quickly. It is worth mentioning here that the traders did not have any other option except sending 3 tonnes to 4 tonnes of previous day tomato stocks to the dump yard. Total of about 700 tonnes of tomatoes arrived at the market. This was mentioned by Mr. P. Sukumar, treasurer of Koyambedu Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers Merchants` Association.
He wanted the TN government to improve the export of such bumper crops and increase the cold storage facility so that vegetables in abundant supply could be stored. The farmers belonging to various parts of TN were of the view that they would be forced to leave the crop un-harvested if the prices did not improve.
In July, the prices of vegetables like radish, cabbage and cucumber dropped below Rs 10 and many vegetables are available in the range of Rs 20 per kg to Rs 35 per kg now. Point is that the traders are expecting the prices of beans and carrots to reduce in 15 days and remain stable till the month of November.
As per a member of farmer producer`s organisation it was confirmed that when the prices were high the government put price control measures in place. He threw light on how a minimum support price would help the farmers.The government agricultural offers did not give proper information to the farmers and this was mentioned by a farmer from Krishnagirri district.
