Tomato farmers in Odisha are struggling to make ends meet as prices have plummeted, with some forced to sell their produce for as little as ₹2 per kilogram. In the Ganjam district, farm-level prices have crashed to between ₹3 and ₹5 per kg, a stark contrast to the ₹10-₹15 per kg they fetch in the market. This drastic price drop is attributed to a bumper crop leading to an oversupply, coupled with a lack of adequate processing and storage facilities.
Many farmers are unable to recover their basic production costs, including expenses for seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and labor. Some have resorted to distress sales, while others have abandoned their crops altogether, deeming it unprofitable to harvest. One farmer in Ganjam reported selling 15 quintals of tomatoes for just ₹3 per kg, barely covering labor wages. Another farmer stated that they couldn’t even get ₹2 per kg from traders and decided to feed his crop to his cattle.
The horticulture department acknowledges the price crash, attributing it to the oversupply caused by many farmers growing tomatoes, a short-duration crop. The absence of food processing industries and cold storage in districts like Ganjam exacerbates the situation, leaving farmers with limited options to sell their produce at a reasonable price.
While some markets in Odisha show higher average prices for tomatoes, the reality for many farmers in key growing regions is dire. The average market price in Odisha is around ₹18 per kg, but this figure doesn’t reflect the low prices received by farmers in distress. The situation highlights the need for better infrastructure and support systems to protect tomato farmers from severe financial losses during times of overproduction.
