Haryana tomato growers see red as prices crash to ₹3 per kilo
KARNAL/ROHTAK: Tomato growers in the region are staring at huge losses as the wholesale prices have crashed drastically to as low as ₹3 per kg amid the lack of buyers.
“Today, I sold tomato at ₹60 per crate (containing 22-24kg) to the local traders as no buyers from Delhi are coming to our area due to the lack of demand amid Covid-19 lockdown,” said Ajay Kumar, a young farmer from Ladwa in Kurukshetra district.
Moreover, the tomato growers have predicted further drop in rates as it is just the beginning of harvesting, which will be at its peak in the next two weeks.
Worried, the farmers have started dumping their harvest stating that the prices do not even cover the charges of transporting the crop to Delhi or any other big vegetable markets.
“A crate of tomato is being sold at ₹80 in Delhi, but transporting one will cost ₹40. This will incur a profit of only ₹40 for 22kg of tomato,” said Om Prakash, a farmer from Dhanokheri of Karnal district.
Haryana horticulture department director general Arjun Singh Saini said, “To protect farmers from losses, the government has extended the deadline of registration under the Bhavantar Bharpai Scheme, which assures prices of ₹5/kg.”
Ram Kumar from Bhiwani’s Kharkhari Makhwan village said, “Even with compensation of ₹1/kg, I will bear a loss of ₹60,000/acre. So, I have dumped my produce in the field, allowing cattle to graze on it.” He and with 50 other farmers from his village have been sitting on a dharna since May 15 demanding hike in the MSP of tomato.bhiwani DC Ajay Kumar said he will raise the issue with seniors.
ABHAY CHAUTALA MEETS PROTESTING FARMERS
Ellenabad MLA and INLD general secretary Abhay Singh Chautala on Monday met the protesting farmers in Bhiwani.
He alleged that they were forced to dump crop due to government’s poor policies and sought compensation of ₹60,000/acre.