K'taka tomatoes for Delhi; More price pain awaits us

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Union government on Wednesday asked co-operatives to procure tomatoes from states like Karnataka triggering speculation that it might cause scarcity and rise in the price of the crop in the southern state.

The procured tomatoes would be distributed in “major consumption centres” reeling from exorbitant prices of the crop.

The other two states that the Centre identified were Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, reasoning that south and west of India are surplus producers who contribute to other regions and account for '56 to 58 per cent' of the production of tomatoes.

A press release from the Union consumer affairs ministry said that National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federat ion (NAFED ) and the National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) would procure tomatoes from markets from the three states.

Moreover, the crop would be sold at discounted prices from Friday in areas where prices have skyrocketed, including Delhi-NCR region, they added.

The State government is yet to comment on the plan.

Crash followed by soaring rates

The issue cropped up a month ago when the prices of tomatoes crashed to Rs23 or so.

Distraught farmers had abandoned their produce, contributing to scarcity. Moreover, heavy rain during the monsoon often causes tomatoes to suffer damage since it’s a 'perishable' crop and may not survive once pesticides on it are washed away.

Showers also make procurement more difficult. Add to it, natural disasters like landslides causing supply-chain disruption, resulting in further price rise.

Some regions in the country have seen rates of tomatoes shoot up to anywhere between Rs150 and Rs200. In Bengaluru, prices of the crop hovered around Rs120 on Wednesday. Tomato harvesting occurs mostly from December to February while the monsoon is considered a lean season.

“The Department of Consumer Affairs has directed NAFED and NCCF to immediately procure tomatoes from M and is in Andhr a Pradesh, Kar nataka and Maharashtra for simultaneous distribution in major consumption centres where retail prices have recorded maximum increase in the last one month. The stocks of tomato will be distributed through retail outlets at discounted prices to consumers in Delhi-NCR region by Friday,” the consumer affairs ministry statement said.

“The targeted centres for release have been identified on the basis of absolute increase in retail prices over the past one-month,” it added.

Skepticism over plan

Meanwhile, sources familiar with the situation said they are unsure if Karnataka would be able to provide tomatoes of a decent volume given that the state is also reeling under high prices of the crop, adding that monsoon-related crop damage is mostly to blame for the scarcity..

The ministry added that Gujarat and MP were receiving tomatoes from districts in Maharashtra such as Satara, Narayangaon, and Nashik.