Navi Mumbai: Tomato prices have sharply dropped, with wholesale rates as low as Rs 6–12 per kg and retail prices at Rs 15–20 per kg. This price decline, caused by an increase in supply, is expected to last for the next one to two months, benefiting consumers but severely impacting farmers.

The Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Navi Mumbai receives 40-50 truckloads of tomatoes daily, totaling 1,500–2,000 quintals. The tomatoes, sourced from Maharashtra’s Satara, Sangli, Pune, Jalgaon, and Nashik, along with Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Bengaluru, are meeting the demand in Mumbai and nearby areas, keeping prices in check.

However, the glut is harming farmers. Labor costs for picking tomatoes amount to Rs 20 per crate, while market prices range from Rs 70-120 per crate, making harvesting unaffordable for many. Vinod Gangurde, a tomato farmer, explained that some farmers have abandoned their crops because the cost of harvesting exceeds the returns.

Initially, the harvest fetched good prices, but with large arrivals in January and February, prices plummeted. Premium tomatoes now sell for Rs 15–20 per kg, and lower-grade ones go for Rs 5–7 per kg.

Gangurde also criticised the government’s import policy, claiming that tomatoes imported from Nepal have further depressed domestic prices. “The government should compensate farmers for their losses,” he said.

Farmers are unable to cover their costs, as tomatoes now sell for Rs 5–10 per kg, far below production expenses. Labourers also face difficulties, as their wages of Rs 250–300 per day are unsustainable at these prices.

Farmers, struggling with high costs for seeds, fertilisers, and pesticides, are also suffering from climate changes and unseasonal rains, further affecting their crops. Gangurde urges the government to take action to support farmers.