Chitoor (Andhra Pradesh): A tomato farmer in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district has hit the jackpot by earning a whopping Rs40 million in 45 days.
With the prices of tomatoes skyrocketing, Murali’s fortunes took a dramatic turn.
The 48-year-old sold his produce not only in the tomato market in Madanapalle but also transported to neighbouring Karnataka as it fetched a higher price there.
Murali and his wife cultivated tomatoes on 22-acre land in Karakamandla village in April. During last 45 days, they sold 40,000 boxes of tomatoes.
The farmer said the huge earning helped them clear debts of Rs15 million, which they had incurred while cultivating the same vegetable in the past.
According to Murali, this time the yield was good due to improvement in power supply. However, the steep hike in prices of tomatoes came as the biggest turnaround.
“I had never imagined that tomatoes will yield such a huge income,” said a beaming Murali.
He plans to invest a part of the profit to expand horticulture activities.
Murali is the second farmer to reap such a huge income.
A farmer in Telangana’s Medak district had whopping Rs20 million by selling tomatoes during the last one month while another crop worth Rs10 million is ready for harvest.
Bansuvada Mahipal Reddy of Mohammed Nagar in Kaudipalli mandal of Medak district became a millionaire overnight due to the skyrocketing price of tomatoes.
With the price of tomatoes soaring to Rs150 per kg in the market and lack of adequate supply from Andhra Pradesh and other places, Mahipal Reddy catered to the demand in Hyderabad market.
He sold the produce for Rs100 per kg in the wholesale market. During the last one month, he sold about 8,000 boxes of tomatoes, each over 25kg.
The 40-year-old farmer, a school dropout, has emerged as a role model for all.
Heavy rain
Meanwhile, there seems to be no respite for the people from the rising prices of tomatoes in Tamil Nadu as the wholesale price of the vegetable touched Rs200 per kilo in the state capital and many towns on Sunday.
The shortage of the product in the Koyambedu wholesale market in Chennai has led to the spiraling price rise of tomatoes.
P.V. Ahmad, a wholesale vegetable dealer in Koyambedu market while speaking to IANS said, “There is a shortage in the arrival of tomatoes from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh due to the heavy losses in crop due to intermittent rain in these states.
Heavy rain has led to a total loss of crops and hence the shortage in the arrival of tomatoes. This has led to the hike in prices of tomatoes in the market.”
Traders also said that the price is likely to rise into Rs250/kg in a week’s time
P. Sukumaran, secretary of the Koyambedu Wholesale Merchants Association, while speaking to IANS said, “This is the first time since the opening of this market that the price of tomatoes has touched Rs 200 per kilogram. This is unprecedented.
“We were expecting the rates to get steady by July 20 but sudden rain has led to the loss of crops and more than 50 per cent of tomatoes cultivated in Andhra and Karnataka have been lost due to the rain.”
While the wholesale market was selling tomatoes at Rs200 per kilo, in certain retail shops, tomatoes were sold at Rs185 per kilo.
