Date:17/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/17/stories/2007041719530100.htm

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Tomato farmers in a jam

Staff Reporter

Despite the risks, farmers continue to grow the crop year after year

It is cultivated on 10,000 acres in Kolar and Bangalore Rural

The price of tomato is now hovering around Re.1 a kg

TAKE YOUR PICK: People picking tomatoes thrown on the road in Chintamani of Kolar district. — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

BANGALORE: Tomatoes that could have easily been processed into mouth-watering jam, pickle or ketchup are rotting on the State Highway, near Chintamani, in Kolar district.

The crash in the prices is an yearly phenomenon though, leaving farmers with no option than to dump the fruits of their hard labour.

Tomato now costs next to nothing or Re.1 a kg in the region.

Risks

Despite the inherent risks of tomato cultivation, farmers continue to grow the crop on 10,000 acres of land in Kolar and Bangalore Rural districts, two traditional growing areas with an output of over 2.5 lakh tonnes a year.

Farmers reluctant

Officials in the Horticulture Department say that farmers are reluctant to switch to other crops that could insulate them against the vagaries of the market.

The University of Agricultural Sciences has collected data on tomato cultivation and pricing for the last 10 years that show that the price crash occurs in April/May.

However, the produce fetches a good return between June and September.

M.V. Bayyareddy of Manjewarapalli in Srinivaspura taluk says: "We get nearly Rs. 2 lakh an acre during a good season. It comes down to around Rs. 30,000 in a bad year. More often than not, for one good crop we lose two."

Farmers took the risk year after year in the expectation of profits, Mr. Bayyareddy added.

No alternative

According to M.S. Jayaram, Professor of Agriculture Marketing in the university, the lack of a viable alternative crop forces the farmers to take the risk of cultivating tomato — never mind the price crash.