KURNOOL: Tomato prices have crashed to justRs 1 per kilogram at Pathikonda market, the largest market for tomato in Andhra Pradesh after Madanapalle in Chittoor district.Most of the agents had been entering out-of-market settlements in past couple of days by offering justRs 23 per kg to farmers.
This was even though Rythu Bazar prices per kg was Rs.
15 and above per kg.The price commanded by tomato at the farm level on Sunday was, however, justRe 1 or even less.While this is so, Pathikonda marketing ADM Satyanarayna Chowdary maintained that at present quality tomato was selling atRs 5 toRs 7 per kg in Pathikonda market yard.
He acknowledged that though the model price isRs 3 to Rs 4 per kg, the minimum rate offered in the yard wasRe 1 on Sunday.A farmer said though the rate is onlyRe 1 per kg, what they are actually getting is below 50 paisa per kg after deduction of transport expenses and market yard commission.The Pathikonda marketing ADM said nearly 18 tonnes of tomatoes have arrived at the Pathikonda market yard on Sunday.
Other markets like Alur, Aspari and Yemmiganur received only 23 tonnes of tomato, he stated.
The quality of tomatoes has been affected mainly due to untimely rains in the past month, said a market official.