The per-kg price of tomato is estimated to cross ₹200 by the end of July not only in Andhra Pradesh but also across southern India.
The Horticulture Department officials in Chittoor and Annamayya districts, considered Asia’s largest tomato belt, say that the piquant situation will prevail till the middle of September.
It is widely believed that the price has shot up in the last fortnight as cultivation plummeted in both the districts.
However, horticulture officials says that the area under cultivation of tomatoes in Chittoor and Annamayya districts remains at more than 7,000 hectares, and it has not changed for several years.
On July 12 (Wednesday), the Madanapalle market received 580 tonnes of tomatoes, with the first grade priced at ₹144 per kg and the second grade at ₹128.
While a major portion of it was exported to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and several northern States, the “scrap variety,” known as third-grade stuff, priced at ₹150 per kg, reached most of the markets in Andhra Pradesh.
While the first grade is mostly meant for superstores in the metropolitan cities, the second grade is reaching supermarkets elsewhere in the southern States.
The vendors from vegetable markets are procuring the third-grade stuff at ₹80 to ₹90 a kg, and selling them for ₹120 to ₹160 a kg.
Traders in Madanapalle say that the prices of the first grade variety may touch ₹250 a kg, while the other grades may command a price of ₹200 a kg by the end of this month.
Deputy Director (Horticulture) D. Madhusudhan Reddy attributed the situation to the “fag-end of the summer season cultivation” in the Madanapalle region.
Summer crop
“The exclusive feature of the Madanapalle region is that it alone goes for tomato cultivation during summer in the entire country. Generally, the tomato is cultivated during kharif and rabi. In addition to these, the Madanapalle farmers go for summer crop, which is coming to an end,” he said.
At present, stocks are available only in Madanapalle, with negligible stretches in Kolar. “These two areas are now supplying the stocks to the entire country,” Dr. Reddy said.
“The sowing of kharif crop has commenced from June first week in several parts of the country. The prices will stabilise from mid-September,” he said.
