Much to the disappointment of farmers, the price of the first grade tomatoes on Wednesday slipped to ₹16 a kg, from ₹96 a kg in May, in the markets of Madanapalle in Annamayya district, Asia’s largest tomato-growing belt.
Coming to the second grade, the price tag stood at ₹11.6 a kg as against last month’s ₹75 a kg. The arrival of stocks was recorded at 1,656 tonnes on Wednesday, compared to 80 tonnes in the first week of May.
The latest development in the tomato trade all over the district, and some parts of Chittoor district, has unnerved hundreds of farmers, who had taken up cultivation in vast stretches, expecting high profits.
