Favourable climatic conditions, usage of F1 hybrid variety and the shift to organic cultivation have eventually increased the tomato production to 32,550 metric tonnes from 20,240 metric tonnes produced last year in the district. With the local crop arriving in plenty and the price of tomatoes hovering between ₹8 and ₹5 a kg in the recent past, the arrivals at Rythu Bazaars cross beyond the much required quantity.
“We have been receiving 50 to 60 quintals a day for the past few days against the requirement of 35 quintals,” says D. Narayana Rao, Estate Officer (EO) of Rythu Bazaar, Seethammadhara.
Comparatively, tomato growers see rich harvest this year in K. Kotapadu, Pendurthi, Sabbavaram, Kasimkota, Anandapuram and K.K. Agraharam areas. “Last year, the local yield was exhausted by this time. This year, we have sufficient crop which will last till April. Once the local supply starts dipping, tomatoes will be sourced from Madanapalle, Kurnool and Bengaluru,” says D. Raju, EO of Peda Waltair Rythu Bazaar.
Cold storage facility
Although consumers are buying large quantities of tomatoes at present, department officials stress on the effective utilisation of cold storage facility to address wastage problem.
“Though we have two cold storage facilities in Gopalapatnam and MVP Colony Rythu Bazaars with a capacity of five metric tonnes each, most farmers prefer to sell the tomatoes at a nominal cost before they sign off for the day. If they utilise the facility available, it will help them fetch good price for tomotoes,” observes T. Linga Murthy, EO of MVP Rythu Bazaar.
According to Assistant Director of Horticulture Department K. Sailaja, tomato was grown in 1,085 hectares of area this year against 920 hectares last year. “With one-third of farmers using organic farming methods, the tomato yield has gone up considerably,” she says. For entrepreneurs who want to invest in the processing units to convert tomatoes into value-added products like jelly, puree, pickles and sauce, the Department of Horticulture is providing 35% credit linked back-ended subsidy which further enables optimum utilisation of the local crop.
