Relief for AP as tomato prices to go down in two weeks

Kurnool: People of Andhra Pradesh might see relief from the rise in prices of tomatoes in the next two weeks. This news comes as a blessing since the state has recognised that tomatoes are being sold at Rs 100 per kg in retail markets of Kurnool and Vijayawada and for Rs 80 per kg in Visakhapatnam.

According to the agriculture marketing commissioner Rahul Pandey, the tomato prices in Andhra Pradesh will settle down in the first fortnight of July. One crop yield has got over and another one is in the process of reaching the market, he said.

Andhra Pradesh cultivates three tomato crops a year and the short gaps between these crops sometimes create price fluctuations.

“Tomato prices will settle within a week. This is routine and there is nothing to panic. We get three crop yields of tomatoes every year. One crop is getting over and soon the second crop will come into the market,” Rahul said.

Here are the current tomato prices at the Rythu Bazaars in Andhra Pradesh:

Machilipatnam - Rs 70 per kg

MVP Colony, Visakhapatnam - Rs 70

Rajahmundry - Rs 50

Kurnool - Rs 64

Anantapur - Rs 74

The office of the CEO of the Rythu Bazaar, which falls under Rahul’s purview, has bought 12 tonnes of tomatoes and dispatched 10 tonnes to Kurnool and two tonnes to Kadapa. He said arrangements are being made to dispatch a few tonnes of tomatoes to Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada.

“The highly perishable nature of the vegetable makes it extremely volatile to prices. Tomatoes cost Rs 90 in the open market and Rs 75 in Rythu Bazaars in Visakhapatnam. Sudden showers will damage the crop, and even a slight break in the supply chains will result in a massive impact,” he said.

The objective is to control the price of tomatoes between Rs 50 and Rs 65, whereas official intervention comes in only when they hit the Rs 100 mark.

Further, Rythu Bazaar prices are regulated for serving the twin purposes of shielding the farmer from loss-making prices and consumers from excessive prices. According to the officials, prices of tomatoes and onions are monitored daily on the Continuous Monitoring of Agriculture Prices and Procurement (CMAPP) as they form the basis for most culinary preparations and therefore crucial in nature.

Inputs from PTI